The Third Generation
by Dragoon Swordsman
Summary: A new generation of Dragoons find themselves in Gaia. A.U. LodFF9 crossover, PG-13 for violence.
1. Character Bios

Disclaimer: I own none of this.

Author's note: Finally, I can post separately. As some of you know, Solid Shark is my brother, so he allowed me to post via his account when my internet connection went haywire. I have three such stories: "Twin Dragoons" (worthless), "The Immortal Blade", both in the Legend of Dragoon section, and "The Dragon Army", in the Suikoden section, should you desire to read those.

I decided to start with bios of my characters. Also, for the record, in this story Lavitz, Lloyd, Rose, and Zieg are all still alive, and Shana is a Dragoon again. Hope you like it.

Name: Jason Connell

Age: 18

Birthplace: Seles, Serdio

Species: ¾ Human, ¼ Wingly

Height: 6'

Weight: 165 lbs.

Hair: Light Brown

Eyes: Gray

Weapon: Broadsword

Element: Fire

Dragoon Spirit: Red-Eye

Bio: Orphaned during the Serdian War, Jason was adopted by Dart and Shana just after the destruction of the Virage Embryo. Dart taught him the art of swordsmanship, and he quickly became a formidable warrior. Jason knows little about his heritage, except that his maternal grandmother was a Wingly. Few people truly know him, as he seldom displays any sign of emotion. Most avoid him, deterred by his combat skill and emotionless demeanor. His only close companion is Zachary, the Crown Prince of Serdio.

***

Name: Zachary (usually called Zack)

Age: 17

Birthplace: Bale, Serdio

Species: Human

Height: 5'10"

Weight: 160 lbs.

Hair: Blond

Eyes: Blue

Weapon: Spear

Element: Wind

Dragoon Spirit: Jade

Bio: The son of Albert of Serdio and Emille of Tiberoa, Zack is the Crown Prince of Serdio, the heir to the throne. His father, King Albert, insisted that he learn to fight. Zack proved to be a natural, wielding a spear with easy grace. When not training, he can be found either in the Indels Castle library or in the company of Jason, whom he befriended during one of the Felds' frequent trips to the castle. His precise grooming habits are legendary.

***

Name: Dari Allen

Age: 17

Birthplace: Deningrad, Mille Seseau

Species: Human

Height: 5'9 ½"

Weight: 120 lbs.

Hair: Black

Eyes: Violet

Weapon: Rapier

Element: Darkness

Dragoon Spirit: Dark

Bio: Not your typical teenage girl, Dari is more likely to be found practicing with her sword than dancing or some such. Usually an easygoing sort, she is extremely dangerous when provoked. In combat, Dari relies more on speed than strength. Underestimating her is usually a fatal mistake. Her best friend is Seria, the daughter of Meru and Guaraha.

***

Name: Laura Trent

Age: 17

Birthplace: Fletz, Tiberoa

Species: Human

Height: 5'5"

Weight: 105 lbs.

Hair: Red

Eyes: Blue

Weapon: Bow and Arrow

Element: Light

Dragoon Spirit: White Silver

Bio: As seems so common with Light Dragoons, Laura is something of a bleeding heart. This does not, however, make her either a pacifist or a coward. When the situation arises, she is more than capable of holding her own. As the Light Dragoon, she is also the team medic.

***

Name: Chris Barton

Age: 17

Birthplace: Rouge

Species: Human

Height: 5'6"

Weight: 140 lbs.

Hair: Black

Eyes: Brown

Weapon: none

Element: Thunder

Dragoon Spirit: Violet

Bio: A student of Haschel, Chris Barton is one of the greatest hand-to-hand fighters in the world. He won the Hero Competition in Lohan at age sixteen, but seldom talks about it. Like most of his people, he considers boasting to be a sign of weakness, not to mention bad manners. His main foible is a constant hunger for a challenge.

***

Name: Seria

Age: 16

Birthplace: Forest of Winglies, Mille Seseau

Species: Wingly

Height: 5'3"

Weight: 90 lbs.

Hair: Platinum

Eyes: Red

Weapon: Hammer

Element: Water

Dragoon Spirit: Blue Sea

Bio: Dari's somewhat diminutive best friend inherited her mother's energetic personality, but don't let that fool you. The young Wingly is every bit as good a fighter as Dari, if not as strong. Seria makes up for her lack of physical strength with some truly lethal magic. Cheery to a fault, even Jason is fond of her, thinking of her as a little sister.

***

Name: Indora

Age: 17

Birthplace: Home of Giganto, Tiberoa

Species: Giganto

Height: 6'6"

Weight: 300 lbs.

Hair: none

Eyes: Black

Weapon: Axe

Element: Earth

Dragoon Spirit: Golden

Bio: Named for the famous brother of Kongol, Indora is well aware of the high expectations he received with that name. One of the few people who can wield an axe with anything resembling style, he is more than a match for most opponents. Despite his fearsome appearance, he's quite amiable off the battlefield. Indora is second only to Jason as a man of few words.


	2. Chapter 1: Dragoon Search

Same disclaimer.

***

Normally, my day starts with a practice session. But that day, the day when it all began, was different.

I was just going outside when Shana called me. "Jason! Zack's here!"

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. _Zack came to Seles? I thought he was tied up with pointless royal functions._ "I'll be right there." Given who our guest was, I abandoned my usual poker face; I preferred to avoid social interaction for the most part, but Zachary, Crown Prince of Serdio, was my friend, so I gladly made an exception. 

Zack was waiting for me in the kitchen, immaculately groomed as always. Like me, he wore a Dragoon Spirit on a chain around his neck. He grinned when he saw me. "Hi, Jason. How are things in the back end of nowhere?"

I clapped him on the shoulder. "If you want the back end of nowhere, go to Rouge. What brings you here?"

"I'm on business for my father." Zack sipped some tea Shana served. "He says it's time for the next generation of Dragoons to rise."

"What's that supposed to mean?" It sounded like something Albert would say, but I was curious as to the rationale behind it. "You and I are both Dragoons. Is he saying it's time for us to have an adventure of our own?"

"Something like that." The Crown Prince shrugged. "You know about Lloyd's little project, right? The one about parallel worlds?"

"Yeah." I had a feeling I knew where this was going. "Dart told me about it last month. Why?"

"Well, he's found several already, and one looks like it's in deep trouble." Zack sipped his tea again. "According to what we've been able to learn, the place is called 'Gaia'. We don't have anything concrete yet, but Dad wanted me to give you a heads-up."

"What kind of heads-up?" I asked suspiciously.

The new Jade Dragoon smiled slyly. "He wants you to lead the new Dragoons on a mission to Gaia, to find out what the danger is, and stop it."

"_What!?_" I shot to my feet. "Is he insane!?"

Zack laughed. "I think it's a good idea, actually. You leading us, I mean."

"You _idiot! _Zack, you've seen me in public. Do you seriously believe I have any leadership qualities at all!?" I couldn't believe I'd heard him right. _Albert's out of his mind. I'm no leader. I'm a loner who hates being around people. Zack's an exception, I've known him for years, but five more of us!?_

"That's exactly what I believe," Zack said. "Besides, it's sort of a tradition that the Fire Dragoon leads the fight. Anyway, he's already talked to Dart about it, so you're stuck."

_If Albert weren't both my King and my best friend's father, I'd kill him._ I sighed. "I guess you're right. Now what?"

"First, we need to get the new Dragoons together." Zack held up his Spirit. "You're the Fire Dragoon, I've got Wind. Five to go."

"I guess we search, then." I buckled on my sword. "Let me say my goodbyes, then we can get moving."

He looked surprised. "Already?"  
"Why not?" I shrugged. "If your father is right, we need to assemble the Dragoons as soon as possible."

"I should have known." Zack looked resigned.

As Zack had said, Dart already knew what was up. "You might not think you're ready for this, but I know you better than that. You'll do fine."

Shana gave me a quick hug. "Good luck, Jason. Be careful."

"I will." I glanced at the Crown Prince. "Come on, Zack. We've got a long journey ahead."

***

"So, where do we go first?" Zack asked.

"Lohan." I paused to bisect one of the ever-present monsters in the forest. "I have a hunch about the new Violet Dragoon."

The prince impaled a goblin. "Who?"

"Chris Barton. He's a student of Haschel. He won the Hero Competition last year. One of the best hand-to-hand fighters in the world."

Zack chuckled. "Haschel trained him, then he must be really good. You ever meet him?"

"Once. I doubt he remembers me."

"Oh, I'm not so sure about that," the prince replied. "You usually make a big impression."

"Yeah, one that makes most people give me a wide berth," I shot back. "Face it, Zack, to most people I'm a cold-blooded killer. How am I supposed to lead if you're the only one who isn't afraid of me? And Derrick isn't helping matters any." Derrick Sands was the head of the only real gang in Seles. Unfortunately, unlike his moronic cronies, he had enough genuine fighting ability to give even me trouble. As far as I was able to tell, his only real weakness was his over-inflated ego. He did not, however, know that I was a Dragoon. 

Lohan hadn't changed much since the war. It was larger, true, but the layout was still the same. I had only been there a handful of times, the most recent being the Hero Competition the previous year. The city was the same as I remembered it: a very annoying maze. The way to the arena was straightforward, at least.

"How do you plan to find Barton?" Zack asked.

"Simple. I'm going to register for the tournament." I quickly glanced around the arena; no threats that I could see. "He'll undoubtedly be here to defend his title."

"If you say so."

I stepped up to the counter. "I'm here to register."

The attendant nodded. "Name, hometown, and fighting style, please."

"Jason Connell, from Seles. I fight with a broadsword." I drew my blade and held it up for inspection. "This sword will cut through almost anything."

He nodded again, somewhat taken aback by my attitude. "Please go down those stairs."

The waiting room was more crowded than I expected. From the loose talk I heard, a lot of the contestants were there specifically to put that "Rouge upstart" Barton in his place. For my part, I was skeptical; most of them looked too weak to give even rookie soldiers any trouble.

"Well, look who's here," said a sneering voice. "Looking for trouble, Iceman?"

I sighed inwardly. The voice belonged to Derrick Sands; "Iceman" was a nickname he'd come up with when I was about five, since even then I was far from an outgoing person. "I'm actually searching for someone, Derrick, not that it's any of your business." I looked him in the eye, cool as ever. "Is Chris Barton here?"

The gang leader laughed uproariously. "That little twerp? Of course he's here. He thinks he can keep his title."

"I take it you don't?"

Derrick looked at me as if I was dense. "How could he? Last year was a fluke. He'll never repeat that feat."

"If you truly believe that, then you are letting your ego interfere with your thinking," I replied coldly. "Chris Barton was trained by Haschel, of whom I'm certain you have heard. If you wish to win, then I suggest you not underestimate him."

An attendant came in, halting further conversation. "The first match is Brian Lynx versus Jason Connell. Are you ready?"

Lynx, a large man with an even larger spear, said, "I've been ready for hours!"; I nodded silently.

"Then please make your way into the arena."

I drew my sword and assumed a battle stance, gazing at my opponent through narrowed eyes. Lynx was certainly no amateur, but I doubted he'd fought someone like me before. I had been trained by one of the greatest swordsmen of all time.

"Time for bed, kiddo!" he yelled, and charged.

I didn't waste my breath replying. Sidestepping his attack with ease, I responded with a pair of cuts, right to left and back again. "Double Slash!"

Lynx tried again. This time I went for something a little more elaborate: a chop, then another, a spin followed by a third strike, then an uppercut slash. "Volcano!" Lynx went down, out like a light.

_Too easy._ I returned to the waiting room without comment.

Derrick grinned when I entered. "You've kept in shape, Iceman. That guy never stood a chance."

I rolled my eyes at the contempt in his voice. "Derrick, some free advice: stop treating inferior fighters like lower life forms. That'll get you in trouble one day."

"Yeah, right." He smiled. "Looks like the next match is you and me. You up for it?"

I shot him an icy glance. "If it gets me closer to my objective, yes. Let's go."

We squared off about ten feet apart. I knew all too well that this would be very difficult indeed. Derrick Sands had been the bane of my life for more than a decade, and I had little doubt he would take great pleasure in defeating me in the arena. Not that I had any intention of allowing that.

"It's show time, Iceman! Take this!" He hurled a Poison Needle at me. This, of course, was cheating, but I was far from surprised. Fortunately, it had no effect, thanks in large part to my Wingly heritage, something only a few knew about.

"You're wasting your time, Derrick." I was outraged enough at his cheating to transform into a Dragoon and smash him, but I restrained myself. Four reasons: one, it would have been cheating; two, I prided myself on discipline; three, he wasn't worth the effort; and four, it would have resulted in drawing needless attention. Instead, I opted for a seven-hit combination that sent the gangster reeling. "Moon Strike!"

He staggered. "I'm not through yet!" Derrick lunged, just missing.

"You're good, Derrick, but you've got a lot to learn." I casually smacked him over the head with the pommel of my sword, then returned to my place to watch the remaining matches.

Zack met me in the waiting room. "Nice job, putting that nitwit in his place."

"Don't underestimate him, Zack." I glanced through the door; Barton was in the process of demolishing his opponent. _He's good. And he has a Dragoon Spirit. Perfect._ "One thing Derrick Sands is not is stupid. His problem is that he lets his ego get in the way."

"Yeah, whatever." Zack shrugged. 

The attendant rushed in. "This is it! The final match to determine the strongest in Endiness! Enter the arena when you're ready!"

Chris Barton faced me across the arena floor, relaxed and confident. I returned his gaze expressionlessly; he clearly didn't remember our last meeting, which meant he had no idea what he was up against. Not that I expected this to be easy, far from it. Haschel's prize student was sure to be a very dangerous adversary indeed. _Here goes nothing._

Barton started with a basic one-two, feeling me out. "Double Punch!"

I grunted once, then retaliated; chop, slash to the right, spin and slash to the left, stab, and lunge upward. "Crush Dance!"

"Flurry of Styx!" I remembered that move all too well from sparring with Haschel. Chris had apparently decided he needed to hit harder.

"You asked for it." Chop, slash five times, kick, chop. "Blazing Dynamo!"

"Omni-Sweep!" Punch and kick till they drop.

"Time to end this." I spun my blade in a circle, then charged, launching Barton into the air and slamming him to the ground. Lloyd had taught me that move.

"Oof!" He grunted in pain, then hauled himself to his feet. "You win."

"It's time to announce the results!" The attendant ushered Barton, Derrick, and me to the arena's center. "The winner is the flaming swordsman, Jason Connell of Seles! The toughest and strongest man in all of Endiness!"

_Give me a break. Dart, Rose, and Lloyd would eat me for breakfast._ But the man was continuing. "Second place goes to last year's champion, the young Rouge Master, Chris Barton!" More cheering. "Third goes to Derrick Sands, the 'Scourge of Seles'!"

_"Scourge of Seles"? Just what is he up to?_ I glanced at Derrick out of the corner of me eye. He had something nasty up his sleeve, I could tell.

***

"So you're saying I'm a Dragoon? Like Master Haschel?" Barton obviously didn't believe me.

"That's exactly what I'm saying. And I'll prove it." I leveled my sword at the pendant around his neck. "Wake up! Dragoon of the Violet Dragon!"

The Dragoon Spirit flared brightly, revealing Chris in new armor. He stared at it in wonder. "Okay, I stand corrected. What do you want me for?"

I gestured to the prince. "Zack can fill you in."

Chris looked at him for the first time. "Zachary, Crown Prince of Serdio? It is an honor to meet you, Your Highness." He went to one knee.

Zack shuddered. "Please, don't. I get enough of that at home." He proceeded to get the new Dragoon up to speed on the situation. "So that's how it is. You in?"

Chris nodded. "I'm in. How could I refuse?" He turned to me. "You're the leader, then?"

"Not my idea, I assure you," I replied. "Not that there's anything I can do about it, so I might as well do what I can. Our next stop is Fletz, in Tiberoa. I think the new Dragoon of Light will be there."

***

Zack insisted on playing tour guide when we got to Fletz. "My mom's from here, remember, so I've been here lots of times."

"Keep it short, Zack," I warned. "We're here on business."

"We should at least visit the Twin Castle," he said.

I nodded. "True enough. Since we're Dragoons, we should pay our respects to King Zior. And I'm sure you'll want to see your aunt."

The guard let us by without question, since he obviously recognized Zack as the King's grandson. I'd been to the Twin Castle before, so I at least knew my way around. The place was more ornate than Indels, largely due to the celestial ornamentation everywhere.

"Prince Zachary! Welcome!"

Libria, Princess Lisa's maid, was standing nearby. "Hello, Libria," Zack replied. "We're here to pay our respects to my royal grandfather." I noticed just a touch of irony on the word "royal". "Is he available?"

She smiled. "Of course. Please follow me."

The Chamber of the Sun was the same as it had been for centuries, spacious, with large windows to admit plenty of sunlight. Whatever my opinion of Tiberoan religion might be, even I had to admit the Chamber of the Sun was magnificent.

King Zior beamed when he saw Zack. "Zack, how nice to see you again."

The prince grinned. "Grandfather." He then moved to embrace the woman on his left. "Aunt Lisa!"

"Zack." Lisa smiled.

I went to one knee. "Your Majesty, thank you for seeing us."

"Oh, get up," Zior said, chuckling. "I could hardly refuse to see my grandson and his best friend. What brings you here?"

I rose. "We are on a mission at the request of Zack's father, Albert of Serdio." I sketched out what we knew thus far. "So we need to find the remaining Dragoons," I finished. I nodded to Chris. "This is Chris Barton, the new Dragoon of Thunder. I have reason to believe the Dragoon of Light is in Tiberoa. I would like your permission to search."

"Of course." The king smiled. "You have my permission, even to go through the Valley of Corrupted Gravity if necessary."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"I believe I know who you are searching for," Lisa said. "A girl named Laura Trent lives in this city. She wears a white pendant around her neck."

"Sounds about right." I bowed to king and princess. "Thank you."

The three of us found the girl in question quickly enough. She was in the planetarium, indulging in the Tiberoan national obsession: stargazing. I couldn't blame her, really; the planetarium really was a sight to behold.

Zack saw her first and froze. "She…she's…"

I looked. Laura was certainly attractive, but Zack's reaction still surprised me. He wasn't usually the sort to get tongue-tied over such things. "What about her?"

He snapped out of his funk. "Jason, let me handle this one, okay?"

I shrugged. "Suit yourself." _This should be interesting._

"Jason, is he always like that?" Chris whispered.

I shook my head. "Not that I've seen, and I've known him since I was little….there he goes."

Zack had made some sort of stumbling pickup line, gotten a weird look, then given up and activated the Dragoon Spirit. It was fortunate we were the only ones there at the time, otherwise someone would have asked unanswerable questions.

Laura gaped. "What just happened!?"

"You're the new Dragoon of…uh…" Zack looked at me pleadingly.

I maintained my non-expression, but inwardly I was laughing my head off. Here was the suave, urbane Crown Prince of Serdio, unable to get a coherent sentence out. I let him stew for a moment, then spoke. "You're the new Dragoon of Light."

"Dragoon!? You mean the warriors who saved the world twice!?" She seemed quite pleased with the notion.  
I nodded. "That's exactly what I mean. I'm Jason Connell of Seles, the Dragoon of Fire. This is Chris Barton, the Dragoon of Thunder. The guy having trouble getting a word out is Zachary, Crown Prince of Serdio, and Dragoon of Wind."

The redhead took another look at Zack. "Really?"

"Yeah," he said ruefully. "But please, don't call me 'Your Highness', okay? I prefer just Zack." He gave her the standard briefing. "Are you willing to help?"

"Sure! Wouldn't miss it for the world!" Laura grinned. "Just let me get packed." She turned to leave, then paused. "I think I know who the new Earth Dragoon is: a Giganto named Indora."

"Good." She left, and I turned to Zack. "You okay?"

"Yeah." The Jade Dragoon grinned. "I think she likes me."

_Oh, brother._ "Whatever. Let's go."

***

Since all four of us were Dragoons, we were able to completely bypass the Valley of Corrupted Gravity. I was glad of that; Dart had told me of his experiences there, and I wasn't inclined to try it out myself, even with the Virage gone.

The Home of Giganto had been rebuilt after the Gehrich gang was driven out. Now, more than a decade later, it was a thriving city, inhabited by more than just Gigantos, though they of course were the majority. I saw plenty of Humans, a few Minintos, even a couple of Winglies.

Laura took the lead, since she'd been there before. "Come on. Indora lives down the street."

The Giganto she referred to was in plain sight. Indora was bald, hugely muscled, and even taller than I am. "Hello, Laura. Friends of yours?"

She smiled. "These are Jason, Chris, and Zack. They're Dragoons."

Indora didn't look even remotely surprised. "Ah, yes. Kongol told me you'd be coming."

I said, "So you know what's going on?"

"As much as anyone does." The big Giganto held up his Dragoon Spirit. "I already know how to use this, so we can leave whenever you're ready."

"Excellent." I shook his enormous hand. "That just leaves Water and Darkness, and I have a good idea who the Water Dragoon is."

"Who?" Zack asked.

"Seria."

"Meru's daughter?"

"The same." I nodded. "She's just as hyper, too, so watch yourself."

Zack chuckled, shaking his head. "You're so obsessive about discipline, I don't see how you can stand her."

I shrugged. "She keeps me amused. Yes," I added, seeing the look on Laura's face, "I_ do_ have a sense of humor. I just rarely show it."

"Is he always like that?" she whispered to Zack.

"Except when he's among close friends, yeah. Lot's of people are afraid of him." The prince rolled his eyes.

I ignored the byplay. "Come on, guys. Next stop, the Forest of Winglies in Mille Seseau."

***

The trip to the Forest took about three days. During that time, I did my best to get to know my new teammates. Zack I already knew, of course. Chris turned out to be a good cook, which was fortunate. I'm not bad, but Zack was one of the few people who could burn boiling water. Laura was an expert at first aid, and had a fondness for plants. Indora was second only to me as the silent type. He made himself useful by gathering firewood.

The Forest was another place that had changed with the years. Some Humans had moved in, thanks to Meru's influence. Aside from some inevitable clashes, the two races lived in peace, proof that we were more alike than anyone thought. (Not that that applies to me, of course, since my grandmother was a Wingly.)

"Hey, Jason! Great to see ya!"

For once, my mask cracked and I grinned. "Long time no see, Seria. How you been?"

"Great!" The young Wingly gave me a quick hug. "Already know why you're here, and we've got the new Dark Dragoon, too!"

"Really?" I raised my eyebrows.

"Yeah!" She beckoned to someone, and a young woman stepped over. "This is my best friend, Dari Allen. She's from Deningrad."

I sized her up. Dari reminded me very strongly of Rose. Same hairstyle, same mismatched boots, same weapon and armor. Almost like a mirror image, really. Definitely attractive, definitely dangerous. "Let me guess. You idolize Rose."

She smiled. "She trained me."

_Figures. At least that means I can rely on her in a fight._ "Now I remember. Rose told me she had a student. Three, four years ago, it was." I nodded. "You obviously know who I am, and what we're supposed to do. Anything to add?"

Dari grinned. "Just that I think Albert was right to pick you for a leader, even though you hate it."

My eyes narrowed. "How did you know how I'd react? Never mind; Rose undoubtedly predicted it." I sighed. "Ready to go?"

"You got it."

"Then let's move." I waved at the largest tree. "The dimensional gateway leading to Gaia is in the ruins of Kadessa." 

***

Author's note: There's the first chapter. I hope you like it. This will be something of an A.U. story since I haven't completed Final Fantasy 9, just so you know. Please read and review. 


	3. Chapter 2: Kidnapping

Disclaimer: I do not own this.

***

Seven Dragoons streaked out of the dimensional gateway into the skies above Gaia. I turned in midair, reveling in the freedom my crimson Dragoon armor provided. As far as I'm concerned, nothing beats the feeling of crossing the skies under your own power. I was especially glad in this case, because the ground looked less than inviting. It was covered by some sort of mist.

Laura voiced my thoughts. "Doesn't look very friendly down there."

Zack fished in his armor and pulled out the information packet his father had provided. "It's the Mist. We don't know much about it, but the locals don't like it at all."

"Give us the rundown, Zack," I said. "Where exactly are we?"

"Let's see." He flipped to a general overview. "The Mist Continent. Four countries: Alexandria, Lindblum, Burmecia, and Cleyra. Cleyra's surrounded by some kind of mega sandstorm, so nix that. Hmm…Alexandria. Militarily, they're the strongest nation. Run largely by women. In fact, their best fighter is a woman: General Beatrix."

"Sounds like a nice place," Dari said.

I gave her a brief glare. "Continue."

"Ruled by Queen Brahne since her husband's death last year," Zack went on. "She has one child, a daughter: Princess Garnet Til Alexandros 17th."

"The _17th!?_" Chris repeated. "Long history behind that one."

_No argument there._

"Lindblum," the prince continued. "Slightly smaller than Alexandria, but more advanced technologically. Their military consists mainly of an airship fleet, giving them some measure of parity with Alexandria. The city of Lindblum itself, like Alexandria, sits on a high plateau, well above the Mist. Ruled by Regent Cid Fabool 9th, a close friend of the late King of Alexandria and surrogate uncle to Princess Garnet. Home of the Tantalus Company, a band of actors/bandits. Their leader, Baku, is an old friend of the Regent. Other significant members: Ruby, a young woman with a strange accent; Blank, a guy who dresses like a caveman; Cinna, an expert on hammers, of all things; Marcus, usually the lead actor during their plays; and Zidane Tribal, a teen with a tail."

"A tail?" Indora repeated carefully.

"Yep, a monkey tail. Nobody knows what he is, exactly, but he's spent most of his life with Tantalus." Zack shrugged. "He's the best they've got, and he's an expert knife-fighter."

"Terrific," I said. "Next."

"Burmecia, the Realm of Eternal Rain. As the name suggests, the rain never lets up there. The only country directly affected by the Mist. The Burmecians are best described as humanoid rats, at least in appearance. Their best warriors are known as Dragon Knights, but they're not the same sort as we are," he said, gesturing to his armor. "Two in particular stand out: Iron-Tail Fratley, who left on a world tour of some kind about five years ago, and his lover, Freya Crescent, who went searching for him shortly thereafter."

"What about Cleyra?" Seria asked.

Zack looked it up. "Hmm, Cleyra. Ah, here we go. Originally settled from Burmecia. Severed ties a hundred years ago over a trivial trade dispute. The inhabitants created a magic sandstorm to seal Cleyra off form the outside world. Nothing has been heard from them since." He looked at me. "So, what do we do, Boss?"

"Don't call me that." I thought for a moment. "We split up. Laura, you and Indora make for Lindblum. See what you can learn about their technology."

"Got it," Laura said.

"Chris, Seria, I want you to check out Burmecia. According to our information, the king there is an old friend of Regent Cid."

"Right on, Jason!" Seria chirped.

"Zack, Dari, we'll head for Alexandria. I have a feeling something momentous is going to happen there is the next few days."

"He's right," Zack said. "The Tantalus Company is going to be performing a play for Princess Garnet's birthday. She turns sixteen in three days."

"Anything special about the play?" Dari asked.

The prince checked. "'I Want To Be Your Canary', by somebody named Lord Avon. It's a tragic love story, very famous."

"How delightful," I muttered. "'Tragic love story', indeed. There's no such thing as a good tragedy, they are mutually exclusive terms."

"Come on, Jason," Laura said. "Don't you like to get teary-eyed once in a while?"

I shook my head. "Laura, I'm a war orphan. I've had too much tragedy in my life as it is; I don't watch it for entertainment." I had a few images of what happened then, but nothing more; I was too young. "One more thing: do _not_ use your Dragoon powers if it can be avoided. Now is not the time to reveal our capabilities."

Everyone nodded, and left for their respective areas.

***

The three of us made it to Alexandria by sunset, making sure to return to human form before entering the city. Alexandria was about the same size as Bale, possibly a little larger, and there was the inevitable castle, but that was where the similarities ended. Bale was populated mostly by Humans, along with a few Winglies; Alexandria had more different species than I ever knew existed.

"Jason, this place is incredible!" Dari enthused.

"If you say so." I didn't really care.

She glared at me. "What's wrong with you!?"

"Get used to it, Dari," Zack advised. "He's always like that."

The next three days went by quickly. I met people from all sorts of different races, including a youngster in a very bizarre outfit, whom I literally ran into on the third day. "Sorry about that."

The boy straightened his pointed hat. "It's alright."

I took a closer look. This was my strangest encounter yet. The boy, at least I assumed he was a boy, wore mostly blue, with yellow boots. What surprised me was his face: entirely black, except for his yellow eyes. I couldn't even tell if he had a mouth. _What do we have here?_ I offered my hand. "I apologize for staring. My name's Jason."

"I'm Vivi." He sounded nervous. "You going to see the play, too?"

I shrugged. "Just out of curiosity. I'm not very fond of tragedies, though I hear this one's well-written." I looked around for my comrades, finally spotting them near a ticket booth. "Gotta run, see you around."

"That was weird," Zack commented.

"No kidding," Dari said. She looked up. "Is that the theater ship coming in?"

The prince saw it, too. "That it. The _Prima Vista_, Baku's ride and joy. She uses the best Mist engine money can buy." He frowned. "Why would they be here on the Princess's birthday, anyway? They're not the only theater company in the world."

"They are the best, though," I mused. Something about Baku's background. "They're here to kidnap Garnet. That's the only reason I can think of. The question is, which side do we come down on?"

"What do you mean, which side!?" Dari demanded, incredulous. "If Tantalus is planning a kidnapping, shouldn't we stop them!?"

Zack shook his head. "It's not that simple, Dari. Queen Brahne has become increasingly unstable since her husband's death last year. I'll be Garnet actually _wants_ to be kidnapped."

"I wouldn't be surprised," I said. "Come on, let's go."

***

If I had any doubts about the play, they were soon dispelled. I hate tragedies in general; this was a tragedy featuring amazingly bad acting. We spotted Zidane right off; no mistaking that monkey tail. Marcus played the lead role, which had the same name, oddly enough.

"Hoo boy, talk about bad acting," Zack said, rolling his eyes. "They couldn't act their way out of a paper bag."

"So now you're a drama critic?" I asked mildly.

The prince was saved from the need to answer by a commotion on the airship's deck. Following a horrendous death scene, the girl playing Marcus's lover was shown to be none other than Garnet herself. As Zack had predicted, she aligned herself with her "kidnappers". Opposing them was a knight in rusty armor and a pair of his subordinates.

"Hey, Zack, who's Sir Rustalot there?" Dari asked.

Zack studied the man. "Adelbert Steiner, Captain of the Knights of Pluto and Garnet's personal bodyguard."

"I don't care who he is," I said, drawing my sword. "Let's give the Princess a hand."

It was hard to tell who was more surprised by our action, Tantalus, Steiner, the Queen, or the crowd. It didn't matter anyway. We assumed a standard trident formation, myself in the center, Dari to the left, and Zack to the right. Zidane and Garnet stood with Marcus and Vivi, the strange boy I'd encountered earlier that day.

"Who are you!?" Steiner demanded.

"That is not your concern," I said icily. I glanced at Garnet. "Your Highness, we are here to offer our assistance. I hope you don't mind."

"Of course not. Thank you."

"How dare you!!" Steiner shouted, lunging for me and chopping with his sword.

"Oh, please." I parried the blow and countered with six rapid chops. "Madness Hero!" Not my strongest attack, but Rusty didn't like it.

"Rod Typhoon!" Zack's rapid spinning knocked one knight clear off the ship.

"Hard Blade!" The Dark Dragoon sent the other one flying.

"How dare you abduct the Princess!!" Steiner tried for me again.

"Doesn't look like an abduction to me. More like a rescue." I dodged his attack with contemptuous ease. Chop, kick, uppercut, and he was knocked back. "Burning Rush!"

The knight hunched over, breathing hard. "Bah! Merely a flesh wound!"

_Idiot._ I turned to Baku. "I suggest you get moving. I doubt Brahne's going to sit still for this."

"I don't know who you are, but thanks!" He vanished inside, followed by a pair of vaguely doglike henchmen.

I relaxed my stance. _Once we really get moving, we should be safe. Alexandria doesn't have much in the way of airships._ I wasn't so stupid as to think the Queen would simply give up; I simply wasn't worried. The only way we Dragoons would be in any real danger was if General Beatrix came after us personally, and that was unlikely.

"Jason, look out!!"

Zack tackled me from behind, just before a giant harpoon could impale me. The source was right next to the Queen, in the form of the largest harpoon guns I had ever seen. Two more soon buried themselves in the deck. Adding insult to injury, a cannon directly above the Queen's box launched some sort of flaming monster at us. Despite the danger, my main thought was, _Queen Brahne has got to be the _ugliest_ woman I have ever seen._

"Surrender at once!" Steiner appeared to have regained his nerve.

"Sorry, I'm fresh out of white flags. Harpoon!" Zack's one-two rocked the knight back on his heels.

"Hey, look behind you!" Zidane yelled.

"I'll not fall for such an old trick!" Steiner snapped, trying and failing to strike the thief.

"Please Steiner, behind you!" Garnet pleaded.

"It's a Bomb!" Vivi shouted, smacking Steiner with a fireball.

"It's gonna blow!" Marcus warned.

Too late. The Bomb grew to at least three times its original size and detonated, severely damaging the _Prima Vista_ and belching out a huge cloud of smoke. Coughing and trying to clear my eyes, I was just able to see the chains binding us to the castle snap, leaving the harpoons embedded in the deck. Then we were falling, falling, and the deck rose um to smack me in the face. The world went black…

***

"Jason? Are you alright?"

I squinted, trying to focus my eyes. "Dari? Yeah. Bit of a headache, maybe." I sat up, wincing. "Talk about hard landings. How long was I out? And where are we?"

"You were unconscious for about two hours," Dari replied. "And as for where we are, this is called the Evil Forest. From what the Tantalus guys have been saying, it sounds like the Death Frontier with trees. They say no one's ever made it out alive."

"Wonderful." My voice dripped venom. "What other bad news do we have?"

"Garnet's missing." Dari sighed. "She was thrown out by the impact, and some plant monster nabbed her. We're pretty sure she's still alive, at least."  
"That's something." I stood and retrieved my sword.

"Steiner's furious," the Dark Dragoon continued. "He's saying that if Tantalus hadn't kidnapped her, she'd be safe now. He's threatening to hang all of them, starting with Zidane."

"And completely ignoring the fact that she _wanted_ to be kidnapped," I growled. "Did he have any choice words for us?"

Dari laughed. "He's saying that if we hadn't interfered, he'd have stopped Tantalus from taking the princess. Again, ignoring the fact that she wanted to go. The idiot's saying he's going to have us burned alive."

I snorted derisively. "Burning would have no effect on me, and I somehow doubt he'd have much success against Dragoons in any event. Where's Zack?"

"Trying to talk sense into Sir Rustalot." Dari rolled her eyes. "Not having much luck, though."

"Of course not." I sighed. "We'll have to look for her ourselves. Come on."

"I am only going for the sake of the Princess!" Steiner was saying as I neared the exit. "When we are finished, I will have you hanged for kidnapping a member of the royal family!" He then caught sight of me. "And you will be burned alive!" Zack, a few feet away, groaned in despair.

"Spare me the ranting," I said coldly. "Zidane, we'll help you look for Garnet."

"Thanks." The monkey-like thief was clearly glad for the assistance. "Rusty here and Vivi are going along, but we could use some more muscle."

"Done. Let's go."

***

The forest proved to be little more than an annoyance. Zidane was just as skilled as I'd heard with his knives, Steiner, while something of a hardhead, was more than a match for the local vermin, and Vivi's black magic roasted some giant flowers before they got too close.

We got a brief respite at a spring. No monsters in the area, thankfully, just fresh water and a small, white creature with a red ball on its head. _What in the world?_

Zack pointed to the red-topped creature. "Zidane, what's that?"

Zidane looked. "He's a Moogle. They're found all over the place, cities, swamps, farms, I even heard one lives in Alexandria Castle." He looked to Steiner for confirmation.

"For once, you're right," Steiner said. "He spends most of his time in the knights' hall."

I stood. "We'd better get going. We're running out of time."

It wasn't much farther to the center of the forest. Within was an enormous plant monster, looking like a cross between a Venus flytrap and an oversized rose bush. _Why is it Dragoons always get to fight the ugly ones? Why not just a normal soldier instead of a homicidal plant?_

"Princess!" Steiner shouted. He shot a quick glare at Zidane. "You stay out of this! Alexandria would be disgraced if a mere bandit should rescue the Princess!"  
"You think you can take it on by yourself?" Zidane shot back. "Come on, Vivi, let's take him!"

"Use your best attacks, guys!" I jumped in, slashed several times, and jumped out. "Blazing Dynamo!"

"Flower Storm!" An elegant name for such a devastating attack.

"Demon's Dance!" Eight separate gashes oozed plant juices.

"Looks like I got here just in time." Zidane's friend Blank had arrived. "Step aside. I'll handle this."

"Fire Sword!" Vivi charged Steiner's blade with magic.

_So much for his problems with us. We fight well enough together. Maybe Steiner's not all bad._ Tiring of the game, I raised my left hand, drawing on my Wingly power. "Time to fry, weed. Burn Out!" The fire attack practically incinerated its target.

Steiner cradled the Princess in his arms while Zidane gave her some kind of medicine. "Princess, please try to drink all of it." He glanced at me. "How did you do that? I have never seen such magic before." The ground began to shake as he spoke.

_Not a good sign._ "I'll give you the details later. For now, suffice it to say that I'm not entirely human." The ground where the giant plant had been opened up, and several smaller plants leapt out. "Run!"

It soon became apparent that carnivorous flowers weren't our only problems. With the Plant Brain's death, the whole forest seemed to be coming after us. Trees sprouted spiked tentacles, animals started chasing us, even the ground seemed to want us dead. _Where's some weed killer when you need it?_ I thought plaintively.

"Hurry! The forest is turning to stone!" Zack shouted.

He was right. Risking a brief glance over my shoulder, I saw trees petrifying, flowers stopping in their tracks. "He's right! Don't stop for anything!"

Almost all of us got out safely. The one exception was Blank, who was caught after knocking Zidane out of a flower's grasp. Seeing that he couldn't free himself, he tossed a map, which Zidane scooped up on the run. As vines spread to bar his way, Zidane sprang forward, the last one out. The Evil Forest was now nothing but stone.

Zidane hammered the petrified vines with a fist. "Blank, you idiot!"

_Just like Zieg, so long ago._ I laid a hand on Zidane's shoulder. "Petrification can be cured. Don't give up on your friend."

His shoulders sagged. "You're right. Let's make camp."

Steiner gently laid the Princess on the ground, while Dari set up tents and Vivi started a campfire. I stood watch a small distance away, gazing into the Mist. _Why is the Mist so persistent? One would think the sun would burn it away, if nothing else. Is there something producing the Mist? Something malevolent?_ I had an unpleasant feeling that I wasn't going to like the answer.

Vivi stared worriedly at Garnet. "Is she going to be okay?"

Steiner glared at Zidane. "This is all his fault. If he hadn't kidnapped the Princess, she'd be safe now!" He clenched his fists. "Have you nothing to say, you filth!?"

Garnet chose that moment to come around. "Oh…what happened?"

"Princess!" Steiner knelt.

She looked at him. "Steiner…you got me out?"  
"It is my duty, Princess."

Zidane was having none of that. "What are you talking about? It was Vivi's magic and my dagger, not to mention these three," a wave to us, "that got you out of there."

Garnet smiled. "I thank you all."

"That monkey deserves no thanks!" Steiner snarled. "If he-"

"Steiner," Garnet interrupted. "I left the castle of my own will."

The young thief folded his arms. "What a coincidence, eh? We went in to snatch her, and she wanted to be snatched."

"Impossible!"

"It's true," the princess insisted.

"Why don't we just rest for now," Zidane suggested. "We can't go anywhere till Garnet recovers anyway, so why don't we enjoy it, like a camping trip."

Steiner reddened. "Camping--you imbecile! Surely even you must know something about the Mist! The abnormalities it spawns in mind and body-"

"Enough." I didn't raise my voice, but it wasn't necessary in any event. That single word cut through the debate like a frozen knife. "This bickering is pointless," I continued. "Zidane is right, we cannot leave until morning. The only sensible thing to do is get some rest."

There was a long silence. "You promised an explanation of what you did to the Plant Brain," Steiner said at last.

I nodded. "First I have to give you some background. My friends and I are from a faraway continent called Endiness." _Faraway indeed._ "I'm Jason Connell, from the village of Seles in the land of Serdio." I gestured to Dari. "This is Dari Allen, from Deningrad, the capital of the northern land of Mille Seseau." A wave to Zack. "And Zachary of Bale, Crown Prince of Serdio. As regards my little fire attack, I could do that because, as I said, I am not entirely human. My maternal grandmother was of an ancient race known as the Winglies."

"Why did you come here?" Garnet asked. 

"Zack's father, Albert, King of Serdio, received word of impending disaster here," I explained. "We don't have any real details, so Albert dispatched us, along with a few friends, to find out what the danger was, and, if possible, stop it. When we saw you helping your ersatz kidnappers, we decided to lend a hand."

"That's Jason, boring lecturer to the last," Zack quipped.

"Shut up, Zack," I said, inadvertently giving Steiner something else to complain about.

"How dare you address your royal prince so disrespectfully!" he shouted.

I fixed the knight with a look Shana often refers to as my stormcloud glare, from the color of my eyes. "It just so happens that we've been best friends since we were toddlers, bonehead, so why don't you watch your mouth. And don't call him 'Your Highness'. He hates it, and would most likely kill you for it." I yawned. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to sleep. I have a feeling I'll need it."

***

Author's note: Chapter 2 up. I apologize if the boss fights aren't that great, battle scenes aren't my strong point.

To Ye Say Ye Fool: Sorry for the review mix-up. I was not aware until you mentioned it that the default setting blocks anonymous reviews. That has been corrected. As regards how Jason found the other Dragoons, I'm still brainstorming on that.

Thanks for the reviews, and keep it up.


	4. Chapter 3: Through the Mist

Again the redundant disclaimer.

***

Walking through the Mist wasn't as difficult as I'd anticipated. Perhaps my Dragoon Spirit was protecting me from its effects, perhaps it didn't work on those with Wingly blood, I don't know. More likely the former, since Dari and Zack had no problems that I could discern. For us, it was simply a walk through a perpetual fog, nothing more.

"Any idea where we're headed?" Zack asked.

"We have to go through the Ice Cavern," Zidane said, "because North Gate and South Gate have been sealed off."  
I glanced at him. "Where do they lead?"

"North Gate leads to Burmecia, South Gate leads to Lindblum." Zidane paused briefly, stabbing a python in the heart. "I grew up in Lindblum, so I know it pretty well."

"I see." That matched what Albert's scouts had managed to uncover. If we made it through the Ice Cavern, we'd get above the Mist. From there, it would be relatively simple to hitch a ride on an airship. I assumed Lindblum was our ultimate destination, since that was Tantalus's home, and Princess Garnet had asked them to kidnap her. _I wonder. Queen Brahne has become increasingly unstable, yes, but is that enough for Garnet to want to be_ kidnapped?

"Um, Mr. Connell?"

I turned slightly. "Call me Jason, Your Highness. What is it?"

"Why did you and your friends come to my aid in Alexandria?" At my questioning look, the princess shrugged. "Most people would have assumed I was being coerced into assisting with my own abduction. And yet you didn't."

I shrugged in turn. "I could say, 'I'm not most people,' but that, while true, is also rather trite. I've always been good at reading people, so it was clear to me from the outset that you were going willingly. As for why we'd help, I strongly suspect that your mother's increasing instability is connected to whatever is about to go wrong here. Not that I expect that hardheaded bodyguard of yours to believe it."

Garnet chuckled. "He is rather stubborn, isn't he?" 

"Princess! You shouldn't waste your breath with a criminal!" Steiner snapped.

She glared at him. "Steiner, stop it! He came to help because he believes something is very wrong in Alexandria. Even if he's wrong about that, that doesn't make him a criminal!"

I tuned out the argument. Despite her relative naiveté, we were getting along well enough with the princess. Vivi was a decent sort, and very helpful in a fight; his main problem was that he lacked confidence. Steiner and Zidane, on the other hand, were proving troublesome, albeit for different reasons. Steiner was good in a fight, but he had all the imagination of a brick, and he persisted in his belief that Zack, Dari, and I were there for some nefarious purpose.

Zidane was something else. The young thief, though a highly capable warrior, had quickly shown himself to be something of a skirt-chaser. He was already nursing a pulped nose and bruised temple, the result of making a pass at Dari. The Dark Dragoon had promptly knocked him unconscious, delaying our progress by almost an hour.

I shook my head. _What is going on in this crazy world? What is happening in Alexandria that makes the heir to the throne flee? And with the family's pendant, no less._ There was something about that pendant that worried me. I could sense incredible power concealed within, possibly, though I doubted it, even stronger than the Dragoons._ She's hiding something. I do not for an instant believe it's out of malice, but rather because she's afraid to tell anyone._ I was jolted out of my thoughts as we neared the cave.

"Well, well, well, the Iceman comes to the Ice Cavern," a sneering voice said. "Don't you have anything better to do?"

Steiner glared at the interloper. "Who are you!?" he demanded.

"His name's Derrick Sands," I told him, "and he's been the bane of my life for thirteen years. I'll deal with him." I stepped forward. "Derrick, what in blazes are you doing here?"

The gang leader laughed harshly. "I saw you going through that weird portal, so I just had to wonder. 'What would Jason the Iceman want with something like that?' I thought to myself. So I used my new powers and followed you through. And here I am."

My eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, new powers?"

"This!" With a flourish, he activated the magic artifact at his neck. The gem glowed brightly, and I was forced to look away. When it faded, to my shock Derrick was standing in the armor of the Dragoon. His armor looked almost exactly like mine, except it was a deeper red, like fresh blood. "What do you think, Jason? Impressive, no?"

"What is he!?" Vivi gasped.

"He's a Dragoon, a Knight of the Dragon, like Zack, Dari ,and me," I said tightly. "So, Derrick, you defeated the Blood Dragon. Am I supposed to bow to your superior power or do something similarly idiotic?"

Sands smirked. "No, you're just supposed to die."

"I think not." Deciding to indulge in some minor theatrics, I raised my voice. "Dragoon Spirit of the Red-Eye Dragon, lend me your power!" There was a burst of flames, and seconds later I too was clad in the armor of the Dragoon.

"Not bad, Iceman." The other sounded amused. "Let's have it out, Dragoon against Dragoon. We'll see who's stronger."

"I have no use for rivalries, Derrick," I said coldly, "but if that's the only way to get you out of our way, so be it." Not waiting for a response, I folded my wings and dove, moving at such a speed that he was barely able to dodge.

"Not bad, Iceman! But not good enough!" Derrick's counterattack came so fast I literally didn't know what hit me until it was past. All I could tell was that I had a deep cut over my right eye. _How did he do that!?_

Wiping blood from my face, I slowly turned. "You may be skilled with a sword, Derrick, but how about magic? Flameshot!" A ball of fire formed in front of my chest, and I shoulder tackled it into my opponent.

Derrick laughed. "That tickles! Blade of Death!" His sword seemed to elongate, stabbing into my abdomen. I grunted with pain, coughing up blood. "Hurts, doesn't it?" He started to wind up for another spell, undoubtedly to finish me off, when he was trapped in a bubble of wind. 

"Gaspless!" Zack hovered in his jade-green armor ten feet away.

"Astral Drain!" Dari's spell healed the cut on my forehead, and soothed the wound in my gut, though that wasn't complete. "We won't let you kill our friend!"

Seeing that he was, for the time being, overmatched, Derrick retreated. "We'll finish this later, Iceman! Crimson Tide!" A wave of red slammed into us, knocking all three of us to the ground. With that parting shot, the Blood Dragoon vanished. 

I shed my Dragoon armor and fell to my knees, coughing. _How did he get that kind of power!? Even Lloyd couldn't defeat the Blood Dragon. And the local bully gets to harness its power!?_

"Cure!" Garnet rushed to my side. "Are you alright, Jason?"

I pushed to my feet. "I think so. Thanks, Garnet." I felt my head. "Healing magic or no, that's going to leave one amazing scar."

Zidane and Steiner gazed at us in awe, for once in complete agreement. "What are you!?" Steiner finally gasped.

"Like I said, we're Dragoons." I waved at my companions. "Each of us represents one of seven elements. Dari is the Dragoon of Darkness, Zack is the Dragoon of Wind, and I am the Dragoon of Fire. As you probably gathered from Derrick's little speech, we are in fact from another world. I apologize for deceiving you on that point, but we had no choice."

Garnet shook her head. "That is quite all right. You did what you had to do."

"Thanks. We are not, however, the original Dragoons. The originals saved humans from the ancient Winglies eleven thousand years ago. Two of them still survive, Rose and Zieg, representing Darkness and Fire respectively. Rose wore a magic choker for reasons I will not go into, and Zieg was caught in a petrification spell at the end of that ancient war, so he spent the intervening millennia as a fossil. The second generation came about almost twenty years ago, during a civil war in which my parents were killed. The leader was Zieg's son, and my adoptive father, Dart Feld, first the Fire and later the Divine Dragoon, which has no element." I nodded to Zack. "Zack's father, King Albert, is one of two Wind Dragoons, the other being his friend Lavitz Slambert, a knight. There are also two Light Dragoons from that journey: Dart's wife, Shana, and Miranda, the First Sacred Sister of Mille Seseau. The Thunder Dragoon is Dart's maternal grandfather, Haschel of Rouge. The remaining two are not human: Kongol the Giganto for Earth, and Meru the Wingly for Water."

"Are you three the only ones here?" Zidane asked.

I shook my head. "All seven of us came. Laura Trent and Indora the Giganto, Dragoons of Light and Earth respectively, are in Lindblum, so we'll meet them sooner or later. Chris Barton of Rouge, the Dragoon of Thunder, and Meru's daughter Seria, the Dragoon of Water, are in Burmecia. And if I may anticipate another question, the reason we can be Dragoons without our elders loosing their powers is as follows: the seven original Dragoon Spirits made copies of themselves. We don't know how or why, but we're not complaining."

Steiner shook his head in amazement. "I thought Dragon Knights were just highly skilled Burmecian lancers. This is far outside my experience."

Zack laughed. "Don't feel bad, Steiner. It's far outside most people's experience."

"One more thing," Garnet said. "Where did this Derrick get his Dragoon Spirit?"

I sighed. "A Dragoon Spirit is essentially the soul of a Dragon in crystal form. He had to have defeated the Blood Dragon to get it, but I don't see how he could have. Even Lloyd, King Albert's Wingly advisor, wielder of the Dragon Buster, and the most lethal swordsman I have ever seen, couldn't defeat it." I shook my head. "That doesn't matter right now. Let's go before we freeze."

Nothing of particular interest happened until we neared the end of the cavern. The cave was suddenly engulfed in a blizzard, dropping the temperature even further. Garnet, Steiner, and Vivi swiftly succumbed to the cold, falling asleep. Zidane briefly joined him, but soon awakened. We Dragoons were unaffected.

"You okay, Zidane?" Dari asked.

"I'm not sure." The tailed bandit got to his feet, shivering. "I didn't think the Ice Cavern was this cold."

"What I want to know is why it exists in the first place," Zack mused. "We're too far south for perpetual ice cover."

Zidane froze. "Was that a bell?"  
"Let's check it out."

The next room, while still bitterly cold, actually had water instead of ice. I carefully searched the walls, looking for any sign of life. _Something's not right here. I sense an evil presence. One with powerful magic._ "Be careful, guys. We've got company."

"Why aren't you asleep!?" A winged creature resembling an evil version of Vivi dropped into view. "You should be dead by now!"

"Are you the one causing the blizzard!?" Zidane demanded.

The creature rang his bell. "Hee hee, that's right. I am a Black Waltz." He rang his bell again. "Ice giant, Sealion! Come before me!" A huge spike of ice sprang from the ground, shattering to reveal an incredibly ugly monster. "Go, Sealion!"

"Zidane, you handle the Black Waltz!" I yelled. "Zack, Dari, transform!" I curled into a ball and spread out again, wreathed in flame. "Final Burst!" I slammed into the Sealion in a sheet of fire.

"Rose Storm!" Zack's barrier spell gave us a critical edge, particularly me, since the Sealion appeared fond of Ice magic.

"Death Dimension!" Dari's bizarre Darkness attack left both foes literally shaking with fear.

Zidane abruptly started glowing. "My turn! Tidal Flame!" Both opponents went down hard.

I landed, returning to normal. "Zidane, what was that?"

He grinned. "It's called Trance. It's induced by a surge of emotion, and it raises the user's power. The move I used was a Dyne skill."

"I'll take your word for it. We'd better check on the others."

Fortunately, the blizzard had left no lasting effects. Steiner seemed a little stiff at first, but that soon wore off. This was a mixed blessing, however, as he lit into Zidane yet again. "You! What just happened!?"

The thief shrugged. "Nothing."

Steiner clearly didn't believe him. "You're hiding something!"

"I said nothing happened," Zidane insisted.

"You didn't…touch the Princess, did you?" Rusty asked suspiciously.

"Just what are you accusing me of?"

I sighed. Steiner was starting to become a major pain. I could handle Zidane's skirt-chasing antics, but Steiner's boneheaded insistence that Zidane was up to something bad was beginning to grate on my nerves. Zidane's obvious attraction to Garnet added fuel to the fire._ If that knight doesn't shut up very soon, I am going to hit him._

Steiner, meanwhile, had earned another scolding from Garnet. "Steiner, he said nothing happened! Why are you being so rude!?"

Steiner bowed his head. "My apologies, Princess."

_Yeah, your apologies for getting caught,_ I thought acidly.

Getting out of the cave raised everyone's spirits. We were on a high plateau, so there was no Mist. The sun shined down unobstructed. I for one was glad of the change; gloomy weather doesn't normally bother me, but the Mist was something else. _I am _so_ glad to get out of there._

Garnet pointed down the slope. "There's a village down there."  
Zidane saw it, too. "It's called Dali. I've been there before."

"It sounds like you've been everywhere. Let's go visit." She started down the slope when Zidane stopped her.

"You're a princess. You can't just walk in there," Zidane said. "You need a new identity."

That, predictably, got Steiner riled up. He stormed over, knocking Zidane's knife out of his hand. "Insolent fool! The princess need not sneak around! Besides, we are returning to the castle! You leave her alone! And you will address her as 'Princess' from now on, you silly peasant!"

Zack glared at him. "I think it's Garnet's decision as to how she's addressed."

"Steiner, I do not intend to return to the castle," Garnet said. "And I do see Zidane's point. I need a new identity." She held up the knife. "Zidane, what's this?"

"That? That's a dagger. All knives like that are called daggers. Two-handed swords are…"

"Okay, I understand now," she interrupted, smiling. "Okay, then, call me Dagger."

"Should work," I put in. "Certainly not a name for a royal. Which is precisely what is needed," I added before Steiner could object.

***

Dali was small enough to make Seles look like a metropolis. The village was consisted of a few houses, a couple of shops, an inn, and a microscopic farm. We stopped at the inn immediately; the recent battles had tired all of us out. 

Zidane walked up to the innkeeper. "Sleeping on the job?"

The man woke with a start. "O-oh, the room is right that way," he said, sounding a bit nervous.

Warning bells went of in my mind. _Something doesn't smell right. Why is he so nervous?_

A different problem soon distracted me. Dagger hesitated. "Zidane, where do I sleep?"

He waved at the door. "In the same room."

"But Zidane…I mustn't…"

Zidane nodded sympathetically. "I understand how you feel, but these country inns don't have private rooms." He shifted his attention to the Dark Dragoon. "That okay with you, Dari?"

She smiled. "As long as you don't make a pass at me again, yeah."

Zidane shivered. "Don't worry. I've learned my lesson." He went inside and sat down. "Dagger, one question before we go to sleep. Why did you want to be kidnapped?"

Dagger sat on her bed. "If the theater ship hadn't crashed…"

"It would have arrived in the neighboring regency of Lindblum." Zidane stared in disbelief. "You were gonna leave Alexandria!?"

Steiner couldn't take anymore. "I've heard enough. Princess, you cannot trust the words of a thief! He may put you in danger, as he did in the Evil Forest!"

"Hey, I know I screwed up in the forest!" Zidane protested. "But I'll protect Dagger to the end."

The knight wasn't in the least mollified. "It is I who protect the princess, now and forever!" he snarled.

_I've had it._ Muttering a Wingly curse, I drew my blade and pressed it to Steiner's throat. "My patience is wearing very thin," I said, my voice low and deadly.

Zack nudged Zidane. "Steiner's in for it," he whispered. "When Jason starts talking like that, it means he's _really_ mad. As in, ready-to-break-things mad. He doesn't easily lose his temper, but when he does, you should get out of the way, or you'll get hurt."

"Your demented ranting is getting on my nerves," I continued, just as softly. "Zidane is no ordinary thief. If you can't see that, then I must revise my opinion of your intelligence. Dramatically. _Downward._" I spun in a circle, bringing the flat of my blade crashing against the back of his head. Steiner fell to the floor, out cold. "Sweet dreams." I glanced at Dagger. "Don't worry, I did no permanent damage. I simply wanted to teach him a lesson. At worst, he'll wake up with a headache." With that, I collapsed on my bed and dropped off at once.

***

Dali was even stranger than my initial impression suggested. The only adult we had yet seen was the somnolent innkeeper. That was odd enough; what was really startling was the farm. It was far too small to feed even one family, let alone an entire village, however small it may be.

I wandered into a pub and almost collided with Steiner, who was for some inexplicable reason stacking firewood. "Since when do knights clean anything besides their armor?"

He turned and glared at me, then looked at the girl at the counter. "I am seeking information. I wish to know what method of transportation is used in this village. I cannot say who, but I must escort someone to the castle."

"Oh? Are you from Alexandria castle?" the girl asked.

"Indeed. I command the Queen's Knights of Pluto." He drew himself up, a comical effect in that rusty armor. "I am Adelbert Steiner, Captain of the Knights of Pluto."

"Knights of Pluto?" She stepped closer. "Then I guess it's okay to tell you. Go to the observatory outside the village. An old man named Morrid lives there. A cargo ship lands in the field close by."

"The cargo ship? So that piece of junk comes here." Steiner saluted. "Thank you!"

I followed him to the landing field and grabbed his arm. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I am taking the princess back to the castle," he snarled.

"Even against her will?" I pressed.

"I must keep her safe."

I stepped in front, blocking his path. "Listen to me, Steiner, because I will only say this once. Taking Dagger back to the castle will not keep her safe. In fact, it will put her in great danger. The Queen wants something from her. She wants it very badly. I don't know exactly what, but I am sure it has something to do with the Royal Pendant. I can sense immense power within it."

"How dare you accuse the queen of such things!" Steiner roared. "The princess must return to the castle, where she will be safe!"

"You didn't hear a word I said, did you?" I sighed in exasperation. "I don't care whether you believe me or not. Think of this, instead. Keeping Dagger sheltered like this will only harm Alexandria in the end. What kind of Queen will she be if she only knows what idiots like you allow her to see? Look at Zack. He's the heir to the throne, and yet his father has no qualms about sending him into danger. True, this is a special case. The destiny of a Dragoon cannot be denied…what the!?"

"What is it?" Steiner was suddenly wary.

"There's something coming out of the ground."

We ran to investigate, scaring off a couple of villagers in the process. Dari and Zack joined us seconds later. A barrel had risen through a trapdoor. "Almost there."

Dari jumped. "That sounded like Zidane." Steiner started moving. "Steiner, don't…"

Steiner had drawn his sword. Before any of us could move, he stabbed the barrel. "OW!" With a cry of pain, Zidane appeared. "What did you think you were doing!? You almost stabbed Dagger!"  
"The princess!?" Before he could say any more, Zidane jumped on his head. Hopping with rage, Steiner started yelling again. "What are you up to!?"

"Something's coming!" Zack interrupted.

It was another Black Waltz. "Princess, come with me! The queen awaits!"

"Another one!" Zidane exclaimed.

"What are you talking about!?" Steiner snapped.

"You were all unconscious from the blizzard! He said he was a Black Waltz!"

The Black Waltz glanced at him. "So you are the one who defeated Number 1? I am Black Waltz Number 2! My power and magic make me far superior to Number 1! Resistance is futile!" He attacked, sending a Fire spell into me.

"Nice try, freak," I growled, transforming. "This is how you use Fire. Final Burst!"

"Blizzard Sword!"

"Free Energy!"

"Gaspless!"

"Astral Drain!"

The Black Waltz didn't last long. _This is getting ridiculous._ "Zidane, get your friends onto that airship. We'll fly escort."

"Okay."

"Come on, folks." I lifted high into the air, glad to be flying again. I was comfortable enough on the ground, but the sky was truly my element. As I said before, nothing beats crossing the skies under your own power. _This is more like it. No Black Waltz is going to beat three Dragoons in the sky._

"Jason!" Zack yelled. "There's a Black Waltz chasing the cargo ship! Zidane and the others beat it off, and now it hijacked another ship."

I spun. "Blast it! All right, everyone, full speed. I think Zidane's going to try and beat it through South Gate. We'll have to run interference."

I never thought I'd find myself fighting a pitched battle five hundred feet in the air, but there it was. The Black Waltz briefly drew alongside the cargo ship and tried to cast a spell, but Vivi's fire magic bounced it away. The it was a chase inside the gate. _Come on, come on._

We won the race, just barely. The Black Waltz charged up another spell, but managed to send it backward, damaging his own ship. Its airship bounced off the closing gate and exploded in a spectacular fireball. We were home free. 

***

Author's note: Longer than I expected. Next, the Festival of the Hunt, and Laura and Indora rejoin the group.

Sorry if I get some of the details wrong; I haven't played Final Fantasy 9 in quite some time, and the farthest I have ever gotten is Pandemonium.

Biggest change planned: Beatrix will play a much larger role. I wish the game let you have her for the duration.

Thanks for the review.


	5. Chapter 4: Lindblum

Same disclaimer.

***

Lindblum Grand Castle wasn't simply inside the city; rather, it _was_ the city. The place was larger than Bale, Fletz, and Deningrad combined. From my vantage point, I could see only two ways in or out of Lindblum: the Falcon Gate, for airships like the one our new friends rode, and the Hunter's Gate, for those on foot.

The three of us made sure to land on the cargo ship and shed our armor before entering Lindblum. We had revealed our powers to Zidane and company out of necessity, but I wasn't quite ready to display the might of the Dragoons to Lindblum just yet.

_Then again, odds are that Dagger will tell the Regent as soon as she gets the chance._ I glanced at the Princess. For the first time since the escape from Alexandria, she was looking completely relaxed. I assumed this was because she was finally in friendly territory. Regent Cid was like an uncle to her, so she undoubtedly believed he would be willing to help.

__

"Hey, Jason," Zack said. "Here comes the welcoming committee."

I followed his gaze. Three Lindblum soldiers, one of them an officer, were approaching. "Let's hope they're feeling sociable."

Dagger approached the officer. "I am Princess Garnet Til Alexandros. I wish an audience with Regent Cid."

The man snorted. "Come on. No member of the royal family, let alone a princess, would travel in a rickety old airship like that. And the company you keep…" He trailed off, inspecting the rest of us.

Steiner, predictably, was not pleased. "How dare you accuse the princess of lying!" he snarled. "She was forced to come here under extreme circumstances!"

The officer ignored him. "Can you give proof of your royal heritage?"

"Yes, of course." Garnet held out her pendant.

The officer inspected it. "This pendant…is it a Falcon Claw? No, it's slightly different." He gestured to one of his men. "Call Minister Artania!" The soldier left immediately.

Within moments, a man I presumed was Artania arrived. He took one look at Dagger before waving the guards away. "You're dismissed. I'll handle this."

The officer saluted. "Yes, sir!" He departed, his men following.

Dagger rushed to greet the minister. "Uncle Artania!"

He smiled. "Welcome to Lindblum, Princess. I am glad to see you safe." Artania beckoned to us. "Come, I will take you to the Regent."

I had actually planned to search for Laura and Indora before making a stir, but it occurred to me that seeing the Regent first would be wise, just in case something insane happened. With Derrick Sands on the loose as a Dragoon, we couldn't afford to take chances._ Regent Cid has a right to be warned. I just hope he'll agree to keep our visit secret._

We followed Artania to an elevator in the back. "Lindblum Castle has three levels," he explained. "The lowest is rarely used, as both lower gates open into the Mist. The middle level is the most frequented, as it includes the airship dock, guest rooms, and air cab station. The third level is restricted, since the Regent lives there."

"Reminds me of Kazas," Zack said.

The throne room appeared empty when we arrived. The throne itself, larger than any I'd seen before, was also empty. _Now what?_

"Sire, Princess Garnet of Alexandria is here," Artania said.

A small insect form appeared from behind the throne. "Gwok gwok." It hopped out. "Greetings."

I stiffened. "A talking insect!?"

Steiner was far less restrained. "Oglop!" he shouted, smashing the bug into the throne. "Get that bug out of here and take us to the Regent!"

Artania grabbed his arm. "Please! You _are_ before the Regent!"

"Impossible!"

"Steiner, stand down." Dagger knelt. "That mustache…is that you, Uncle Cid?"

"Garnet, nice to see you again." Cid got to his feet.

Artania hurried to explain. "Six months ago, some bandits attacked the Regent and stole our new airship. Unfortunately, by the time we could get to him, he'd been turned into an oglop."

I shot a glance at Steiner. "Don't try to pin this one on Tantalus, Steiner. Baku just happens to be an old friend of the Regent."

"The young man is right," Cid put in. "They would have no reason to harm me." He hopped once. "I know you are here for help, but surely it can wait until you have eaten and rested."

"Most of it, yes." I stepped forward. "There are some things I must speak of now, sire."

"Go ahead."

"First, I have two comrades somewhere in Lindblum. I trust you will not object to my collecting them?"

"Of course not," Cid replied. "What else?"

"You have a new and very dangerous enemy," I said grimly. "A man who wears the armor of the Dragoon, the Knight of the Dragon, just as we do," I went on, gesturing to my friends. "His name is Derrick Sands, and the only person on Gaia who could defeat him one-on-one is Alexandria's General Beatrix, and even she would have a very hard time."

"Dragoon? I presume you speak of something other than Burmecia's lancers?" the Regent asked. I nodded. "Then perhaps you'd better explain more."

I told him everything I'd told the princess, about our origins and our mission. "Somehow, Derrick defeated the Blood Dragon. That suggests he recently obtained power that was previously unheard of, both on Gaia and Endiness. I urge you, sire, to tell your soldiers _not_ to confront Derrick directly. He is much too powerful."

"Thank you for the warning," Cid said. 

I bowed. "Only my duty, sire. Now, with your permission, I have work to do." I turned and left, Zack and Dari close behind. 

***

The city of Lindblum itself was even more impressive than the castle. It is best described as a combination of several cities in Endiness: the royal grandeur of Bale and Fletz mixed with the prosperous trade of Lohan and Fueno. In addition to the castle, Lindblum was divided into three districts: the Theater District, where Zidane told me his Tantalus friends had their hideout; the Business district, encompassing all but a few of Lindblum's shops; and the Industrial District, self-explanatory.

We went to the Industrial District first; Zidane had recommended a restaurant in the area. Having been raised on Shana's home cooking, I had little taste for the high-class food Cid's chef insisted on preparing. Zack, despite his royal upbringing, had tastes similar to mine, and while Dari enjoyed some of the food at the castle, she was no gourmet.

Zack, predictably, was the first in. "I'm so hungry I could eat a Virage. Without salt." He walked in and froze. "Jason, Dari! Laura and Indora are here!"

Laura Trent greeted us with her usual energy. "Hi guys! How'd things go in Alexandria?"

"Good and bad," I replied. I gave her a summary.

Indora pursed his lips. "So this Derrick is a Dragoon, and he's after you. This could be bad."

I snorted. "That's one way of putting it. I wish I knew what he was up to, besides trying to send me to an early grave." I left my other thoughts unspoken. Ever since our arrival in Gaia, I'd been nursing some dark suspicions about Alexandria. Derrick's presence just underscored those suspicions. I shook my head. If the Blood Dragoon had joined forces with Queen Brahne…

"Hey, Monkey-tail. You're disturbing the other customers."

I turned. The speaker was a Burmecian, with the unmistakable air of one of their Dragon Knights. She was gazing at Zidane, a half-smile on her rat-like face.

Zidane glared at her. "Why, you've got a tail, too, Rat Face!"

"Rat Face…" The Burmecian sipped her drink. "When I finish my drink, you're toast." She got up, smiling more broadly. "Long time no see, Zidane."

The thief grinned. "How've you been, Freya?"

Freya retrieved her drink. "Alright."

"How long has it been?" Zidane asked, picking up his soup.

"About three years." 

"What brings you here?" Zidane and Freya were clearly old friends.

The Burmecian glanced at him. "The Festival of the Hunt, what else? You entering?"

Zidane shook his head. "Nah, I think I'll pass."

Freya snorted. "Lazy bum." She appeared to notice us for the first time. "Friends of yours?"

"Oh, yeah!" Zidane introduced us. "These are Jason, Zack, and Dari. Guys, meet my friend Freya. She's a Burmecian Dragon Knight."

I waved at the Tiberoans. "Laura and Indora, Dragoons of Light and Earth."

"We've met." Freya shook my hand. "They've mentioned you. A lot." 

"Why am I not surprised." I rolled my eyes. "Before you ask, we're not here for the Festival either. I presume you've heard about recent events in Alexandria?" She nodded. "I believe that war will break out soon, if it hasn't already," I continued. "If that is the case, Burmecia will almost certainly be hit."

The Dragon Knight lifted an eyebrow. "Why should you care about Burmecia?"

"I care about any war-torn nation," I replied. "My parents died in a civil war almost twenty years ago. Secondly, I have two Dragoons in Burmecia, so I have a personal stake in the matter."

"I see." Freya rose. "The Festival is tomorrow, so I'll see you later."

***

I had been wondering just what the Festival of the Hunt was about. The people of Lindblum certainly seemed excited about it, so it was obviously important, but everything I'd heard about it was frustratingly vague. That morning, I buttonholed Minister Artania about it.

"The Festival of the Hunt is a tradition dating back to Cid 1st," he replied. "Monsters of various types are released into the city streets, and the contestants hunt them down. Each monster is worth a certain number of points; whoever has the most points at the end is declared the Master Hunter." Artania smiled. "Are you interested?"

I shook my head. "Not really. When it comes to testing my prowess in battle, I generally prefer to take on sentient opponents. Monsters are almost always too easy, at least monsters of the sort you're going to be turning loose today."

"As you wish."

One hour later, the five of us had the best seats in town: two hundred feet up. Five Dragoons hovered over the city, unnoticed by any save a few, specifically Artania and Dagger's group. From that point, we could see everything going on in the streets. _Now we'll see if Burmecia's Dragon Knights are as skilled as we've heard._

Zidane, it turned out, had decided to participate after all. Even without a Dragoon's heightened senses, I would have known that tail anywhere. He started out in the Theater District, near the Tantalus hideout if I saw correctly. Freya began her hunt in the Industrial District, plunging her spear into a mid-sized bird.

"She's good," Zack said. And he would know; the spear was his specialty. "She might even be able to take Lavitz in an even fight."

"Oh, look, it's Vivi!" Laura exclaimed.

I looked. It was indeed the diminutive Black Mage, incinerating a Fang._ Where do they come up with these names? Then again, I guess a native of Endiness can't really complain. "Run Fast," indeed._ I shifted my attention to the stands. Dagger was standing near the top, flanked, naturally, by Adelbert Steiner. I snorted. Steiner wasn't likely to let Dagger go _anywhere_ unescorted, except possibly within Alexandria Castle.

Zidane was racking up an impressive score. By this point he'd nailed at least a dozen monsters of various types. Soon the only one ahead of him was his Burmecian friend Freya. _Never let it be said that Zidane Tribal lacks either skill or courage…what on earth!?_

I tapped the Golden Dragoon on the shoulder. "Indora, who or what is that!?"

He looked in the indicated direction. "Hmm, the 'Strange Gourmand'. I think the being in question is a Qu. They live in Qu's Marsh, on the plains north of Lindblum."

"They actually live with the Mist?" Dari sounded surprised.

The Giganto's lip twisted. "The Mist doesn't affect them, at least not as it affects Humans. I don't think much of their favorite food, though."

"That being?" I prompted.

"Frogs. All Qus devour frogs at every opportunity." Indora looked disgusted. "Apparently, they need frogs for proper growth."

Further conversation was cut off by a terrified scream. Two kids, around nine or ten years old, were cornered in a square by a huge monster. Zidane and Freya were fighting it, but the youngsters were still in danger.

"I'll handle this!" I folded my wings and dove, snatching the kids up before the monster could devour them. "Gotcha!"

They shivered. "Thank you."

I landed in the stands. "Stay here, you'll be safe."

"That was great, Jason," Dari said as I rejoined my team.

I shrugged. "I couldn't just leave them to die, now could I?" 

The battle on the ground was over mere seconds later, Freya inflicting a lethal blow. Zidane came in a strong second, 170 points to Freya's 180. Vivi was third at 150. _Say what you will about Vivi, he's no coward. I certainly wouldn't care to face him in battle._

We returned to the castle for the awards ceremony. To my surprise, only three hunters even showed up: Zidane, Freya, and Vivi. The rest were either nursing their wounds or had already departed. Also present were Dagger and Steiner.

"Congratulations, Freya," Zidane said. "I don't know how you got so many points."

The Burmecian shrugged. "The fruits of my training, I guess."

"Regent Cid!"

A badly wounded Burmecian soldier staggered in. "Sire, please help us!"

Cid started forward, but Artania tried to restrain him. "Sire, he must not see you like this."

"Look at him. An injury has blinded him," the regent countered. "Continue."

"Burmecia is under attack by an army of mages…with pointed hats."

Vivi started violently.

"The king and I are old friends," Cid replied. "I will send help as soon as possible."

"Thank you. I must…return now." The soldier fell over sideways, dead.

Freya knelt beside him. "It's a miracle he made it this far."

_Mages with pointed hats._ Zidane had told me of an underground factory in Dali, making dolls that bore an uncanny resemblance to Vivi._ I knew it! Alexandria has started a war. Brahne is sending magic-wielding golems in an unprovoked attack on Burmecia._ I drew my blade. "I knew this would happen! Queen Brahne has declared war on Burmecia."

"How dare you!" Steiner shouted. "How dare you say such things about our Queen! She would never do such a thing!"

"I told you before, things aren't right in Alexandria," I snapped. "Why do you think Dagger wanted to be _kidnapped!?_ She knew something was wrong, so she came to Cid for help." I clenched my fists. "Freya, we will accompany you to Burmecia. Brahne will pay for this."

"Thank you." Freya sounded relieved.

Steiner, however, wasn't finished. "You issued a slanderous accusation against the Queen, and now you are meddling in matters that are not your concern! You should be placed in a dungeon!"

A very rare event occurred then: I lost my temper. "_You worthless cretin!"_ I shouted, transforming. _"You insufferable, pig-ignorant fool!! Final Burst!!!"_

The fire attack literally knocked Steiner flying across the room. I waited for him to get to his feet, then landed and reverted to human form. "Have you listened to a word I've said since we met?" I demanded, my voice now cold as ice. "Have you forgotten that two of my comrades went to Burmecia? Do you expect me to abandon them? Are you really that stupid!?"

Steiner goggled, for once at a loss for words.

My voice grew even colder. "You will listen to me, because I will only say this once. Queen Brahne is not, repeat _not_, in her right mind. If she were, she wouldn't have been so reckless when trying to stop the _Prima Vista_, let alone sending three black Waltzes after us. There is something within Dagger that she wants very badly, and she clearly doesn't care how many people die in the process."

Dagger then spoke up. "We don't have time to waste. We have to go."

"Princess! I cannot allow you to take such a risk!" Steiner said, regaining his voice.

I sighed. "I hate to say it, but I agree with Steiner, though for different reasons. If this is indeed an Alexandrian attack, then the last thing we need if for you to be caught in the middle." I glanced at Steiner. "Take care of her, but I strongly advise you not to return to Alexandria. It would be a serious mistake." I shifted my attention to Zidane. "We'll meet you at the Dragon Gate."

***

"Man, Jason, I've never seen you like that before," Zack said as we rode the elevator down.

I sighed. "That's because you've never seen me angered in a life-or-death situation before." I slammed a fist into my palm. "That idiot! I'll just bet he'll try to get back to the castle despite my warnings."

"What'd you expect?" Dari asked. I looked a question at her, and she shrugged. "Steiner's a good fighter, we all know that, but he's got all the imagination of a brick. He truly believes that Brahne did nothing wrong."

"I know, it's just…" I sighed again. "Steiner's smart enough to be convinced eventually, but I'm almost certain that eventually will be far too late. Dagger's going to get hurt, and there's nothing I can do about it."

Dari smiled. "If it helps any, we're behind you."

"All the way," Zack said.

"You lead, we follow," Laura put in.

"Anywhere," Indora added.

I managed a smile. "Thanks, guys. Let's go; Zidane, Freya, and Vivi should be at the gate by now."  
They were indeed, though Zidane looked both annoyed and worried. "Dagger's gone," he said without preamble.

I stiffened. "When?"

"We were having lunch, and we all started to feel sleepy," Vivi said. "When we woke up, Dagger and Steiner had left."

"It was sleeping weed," Zidane said. "I gave her some because she said she was having trouble sleeping. I had no idea she'd pull something like this."

"Impressive." And it was, but there was no time to dwell on that. "There's no help for it now. Much as it pains me to admit it, we'll just have to trust Steiner to make sure she doesn't get herself killed." I shrugged. "She's probably in no danger at the moment. Dagger may be naïve, but 'naïve' doesn't necessarily mean 'stupid'."

"I hope you're right." That was Freya. "Come. We need to pass through Gizamaluke's Grotto to get to Burmecia."

"Right. I just hope Derrick doesn't show up again." We walked together into the Mist. 

**

Author's note: Next chapter will be fairly violent, since it will cover Gizamaluke's Grotto and Burmecia. Not all that much here, but then the first visit to Lindblum is rather dull, at least in my opinion.

To Ye Say Ye Fool: Solid Shark is my younger brother, but I'm withholding the precise margin at his insistence (read: threats of violence *chuckle*).

To Red-Eyed, Divine Dragoon 77451, I haven't yet decided whether to do such a sequel; if I do it will be a while yet, as I will be very busy.

Thanks for all the reviews, and keep it up.


	6. Chapter 5: Clouds of War

Disclaimer: None of this is mine.

Our journey to Gizamaluke's Grotto was somewhat delayed. Zidane insisted on making a detour through a _swamp_. I was not pleased, to put it mildly. Unlike my royal friend, I am by no means fastidious, but I draw the line at swamps. As for why, suffice it to say that I have had bad experiences with mud.

"Just why are we tromping through a swamp?" Zack asked in exasperation. "My cape is getting covered in mud."

_More like saturated,_ I thought sardonically.

"This is Qu's Marsh," Zidane said. "I think the Qus might be able to help us."

"I just hope we meet some soon," Laura grumbled. In her own way, the White Silver Dragoon was just as obsessive about cleanliness as Zack.

_Maybe that's why they get along so well. Then again, maybe not._ "I agree with Laura," I said. "We don't know how Chris and Seria are doing. Let's take care of this quickly."

Fortunately for my peace of mind, we encountered a Qu shortly thereafter. It's difficult to describe a Qu to someone who hasn't seen one. They are usually pale in color, with thick limbs and a protruding tongue. Despite their rather comical appearance, underestimating them is a mistake. They are just as intelligent as Humans, even if most seem to have trouble with the English language.

This particular Qu wore what appeared to be a chef's outfit, specially tailored for his rotund form. _I've seen him before._

"Uh, who are you?" Zidane asked.

The Qu looked at him. "I? I called Quina."

I tuned out the discussion. _Zidane had better be right about a Qu being helpful. This is taking time that we do not have._ I turned my gaze north. _Burmecia is in that direction, past Gizamaluke's Grotto. I hope the others are alright. Is it really Alexandria behind this?_

"Are you okay, Jason?" Dari asked.

I sighed. "I'm worried about Chris and Seria. If Alexandria really is behind this, then I'd be willing to bet General Beatrix is there in person. Even for a pair of Dragoons, she'd be a handful." I shook my head. "I only met Chris once before he joined us, but I liked him."

Dari laid a hand on my arm. "Seria told me she looks at you like a big brother."  
"Apt, since I've long thought of her as a little sister." I let a low growl resound in my throat. "If she's been hurt in any way, I will take my time killing those responsible."

The Dark Dragoon gripped her rapier. "I'll help. Seria's my best friend, remember."

Zidane reappeared with Quina in tow. "Let's go, guys. Master Quale, Quina's teacher, asked me to take Quina with us."  
I shrugged. "Fine, whatever." As we hiked out of the swamp, I gave Quina a dubious glance. "Zidane, just how is a Qu supposed to be helpful?"

He grinned. "We could use a good cook. Zack told me how good you are at that. Or aren't."

I glared briefly at the prince, then turned back to Zidane. "I'm a warrior, not a gourmet chef. I agree we could use some decent food, but that's not what I'm asking. Can Quina be of use in combat?"

"Qus use a special skill called Blue Magic," Zidane said. "If a Qu eats a monster that has a certain skill, he can learn that skill."

"Interesting."

As it turned out, Quina was good in a fight. When we neared Gizamaluke's Grotto, we were attacked by a pair of dragons. Obviously, these dragons were nowhere near as dangerous as the sort found in Endiness, because Quina destroyed one with his weapon, a giant fork, and devoured the other. The fighting chef looked quite pleased with himself afterwards.

Indora chuckled. "Talk about feasting on your enemies."

There was no sign of life at the cave's entrance. That does not, however, mean that it was deserted. A pair of Burmecian soldiers lay dead on either side. I knelt to examine one. He hadn't, so far as I could tell, been struck with a sword or spear. The lack of slash or stab wounds, combined with a few scorch marks, suggested he died by magic.

I rose. "It wasn't Alexandrian soldiers who did this, not unless they're more proficient in magic than anyone thought. This guy was killed by a Fire spell."

"The other one as well," Freya said. "This is very bad. I fear Burmecia will be in dire straits by the time we arrive."

"Then let's get moving!" Zidane responded. He added, almost to himself, "I sure hope Dagger didn't come here."

The doors in the grotto had the strangest locks I had ever seen. To open one, you had to ring a certain kind of bell. A bell in the door would ring at the same time, then the hand bell would shatter and the door would open.

The scene that greeted us past the first door would have been hilarious if it wasn't so tragic. Black Mages, who did indeed look like enlarged versions of our friend Vivi, were busily torching the remaining Burmecian soldiers. How is this comical, you ask? Simple. Two midget clowns were running around an upper path, apparently directing the battle.

Dari cursed under her breath. "A pair of clowns and a bunch of mindless killing machines. Great." Then, remembering Dali, she glanced at Vivi. "Sorry, Vivi."

The young mage shook his head. "Don't worry about it."

That was enough to get the clowns' attention. One looked down at Zidane. "I have seen him before."

"Seen him before? Not seen him, have I," the other responded.

"Let's kill him!" said the first. 

A pair of Black Mages dropped down, but were easily dealt with. Freya glared up at them, twirling her spear. "Is that all you've got? Why don't you take us on personally?"

In response, the clowns turned and ran.

"So much for them," Zack said with a snort.

Three doors and a couple of Moogles later, we found ourselves in a long hallway, with a narrow path between two large pools of water. There was a large door at the far end, presumably the exit. _I have a bad feeling about this._

Freya knelt beside a wounded Burmecian. "What happened here!?"

The soldier groaned. "Two clowns…Brahne's lackeys. They…corrupted Master Gizamaluke. Watch out…"

He got the warning out just in time. Gizamaluke himself lunged out of the water and faced us, hovering. The best description I can come up with is that he looked vaguely like a snake, with the fins of some kind of ray. I couldn't really tell if he was intelligent or not, and it didn't really matter at that point. Gizamaluke was an enemy, that was all I needed to know.

"Dragoons, transform!" I snapped. "Prepare to fry, Gizamaluke! Final Burst!"

"Rose Storm!" Zack shouted. Just in time, too; Gizamaluke promptly cut loose with an area-effect Water spell, not something I care to be hit with, generally.

"Mighty Guard!" Quina gave us some additional protection.

"Thunder!" Vivi had found Gizamaluke's main weakness.

"What I'd give for Chris and his Thunder magic," Dari muttered. "Death Dimension!"

Laura held back as a healer, sending an occasional arrow flying. Indora, knowing that his magic would be next to useless here, simply hacked away with his axe. That left Zidane and Freya, the former stabbing in and out with his knife, the latter impaling Gizamaluke from above.

I landed, my Dragoon armor fading. "Man, that hurt."

Freya tossed me a potion. "I would have thought you'd be stronger than that."

"Usually, I am." I downed the potion. "Even we have weaknesses, Freya. I'm the Dragoon of Fire, which means I have trouble with Water attacks. That area-effect spell took a lot out of me."

The lancer turned to the injured soldier. "Can you stand?"

"Don't worry about me. Please…protect Burmecia……" He slumped over, dead.

"I will protect Burmecia. You have my word," Freya whispered. "Let's go."

It was easy to tell when we were nearing Burmecia: it started raining. The local monsters alternated between the undead and some giant lizards. No threat to us, really, but I chafed at each additional delay. I strongly suspected that the Alexandrians hadn't confined their efforts to Burmecia's army, and I was right.

Freya stopped at the city gate. "It's been five years." She knelt. "I was a selfish child then. No longer. Now I must protect my people."

"We're right behind you," Zidane said.

The devastation in Burmecia was even more extensive than I'd feared. Every home we passed had been wrecked, clearly by attack magic. Bodies were strewn everywhere; the Black Mages had had no inclination to clean up the mess, evidently. To top it off, there were monsters everywhere, though none posed much danger to five Dragoons.

Zack shook his head in disgust. "I'm going to enjoy killing whoever did this," he growled. "This is worse than anything from the Serdian War, from what Dad's told me. Even the Sandorans usually left kids alone." The prince nodded to the body of a Burmecian child. "This is sick. Just sick."

"Worse than anything?" Dari asked pointedly. "What about Seles? Jason's parents died in that attack."

"Tell me something I don't know," Zack replied. "I said they usually left kids alone. Seles was hit by Fruegel's men. The Great Commander was actually a pretty decent sort."

"Still is, last I heard," I put in. "He's mayor of Kazas these days." A flash of movement caught my eye. "Heads up!"

The warning proved unnecessary. A streak of blue and platinum silver almost knocked me off my feet. "Jason! Jason, thank goodness you're here!"

I gave the Wingly a quick hug. "Seria, what happened!? Are you alright?"

She stepped back. "I'm fine, so's Chris."

The Dragoon of Thunder appeared behind her. "Jason, what took you so long?"

"We got sidetracked, I'll tell you later," I replied. "Was this an Alexandrian attack?"

Chris nodded. "They came about two days ago, Alexandrian soldiers and some weird mages with pointed hats." He glanced at Vivi suspiciously.

"Vivi's on our side, don't worry about it," I said quickly.

"Right. Anyway, Queen Brahne came here in person, to 'supervise the extermination of the vermin,' as she put it." Chris curled his lip. "I guess she thought that since Burmecians don't look like Humans, that means they aren't people."

"She had a couple of clowns with her," Seria added. "It looked like they were in charge of the Black Mages."

"That fits with what we saw in Gizamaluke's Grotto," Freya said. "Do you know who they are?"

Chris shrugged. "Brahne called them Zorn and Thorn, though we could never tell which was which. They're inconsequential, anyway. The real problem is General Beatrix. She came along and just about destroyed the Burmecian army all by herself. They saved the Black Mages for simple murder." He frowned. "Funny thing, though. I got the impression that she didn't like what was going on. And the look she gave those mages, talk about venomous."

"I'll give her venom," Seria snarled. The normally happy-go-lucky Wingly was almost shaking with rage. "All those people dead, and for no reason! Just who does Brahne think she is!?"

"The new ruler of the world, it would appear." I grimaced. "Anything else?"

Chris sighed. "I'm afraid so, and it isn't good. I saw that guy from the Tournament, Sands, in blood-red Dragoon armor."

I cursed savagely. "So he's joined forces with Alexandria, has he!? We'll just have to show him the error of his ways!" I turned to Zidane. "Zidane, we're going to have to split off temporarily. Beatrix is bad enough; combine that with the likes of Derrick Sands and you have a recipe for disaster. Nothing against your fighting skills," I added, sweeping my gaze over Vivi, Freya, and Quina, "but you would be helpless against the Blood Dragoon. Even though I had Dari and Zack with me, he almost killed me near the Ice Cavern. With all seven Dragoons assembled, maybe we'll stand a better chance." 

The thief nodded. "Good luck."

Zidane and his friends headed for the palace, while we Dragoons turned east. For the first time in quite a while, I was having difficulty controlling my emotions. _Derrick, sooner or later I am going to kill you. Leading a small-time gang in a backwater village like Seles is one thing, mass murder is quite another._ I still couldn't figure out how someone like Derrick Sands could have defeated the Blood Dragon. Lloyd had the Dragon Buster, so that was out. He had to have acquired a new source of power.

"So Sands was just a bully before he came here?" Laura asked.

I shook my head. "Not precisely. Oh, he is a bully, true, but not in the sense of your basic schoolyard thug. He's a good enough fighter to give even me trouble, and that's without factoring in his new Dragoon Spirit." I frowned. "He seemed a lot stronger than our last confrontation, in Lohan. And there was a strange look in his eyes, almost an insanity, and that worries me. Derrick isn't exactly a nice guy, but he never struck me as insane. He must have found a new source of power."

"How right you are."

I looked up. Derrick Sands hovered about fifty feet above us. "Hello, Derrick, nice to see you." My voice dripped sarcasm. "So now you've gone from simple assaults to cold-blooded murder?"

He laughed harshly. "You're one to talk, Iceman. You're just a cold-blooded killer yourself. What's the difference between you and me?"

"You wouldn't understand," I answered. "You think there's no such thing as right and wrong, you think that only the strong deserve to live." I sighed. "What a waste. With your skill, you would be invaluable to King Albert. You could be a valiant protector of the realm, which would give you a real shot at the glory you crave so much."

Derrick snorted derisively. "Where's the fun in that?" He swept his sword in an arc. "Look around you, Jason. The people of Burmecia were weak. They were trapped like the rats they so resembled, and died like them."

We transformed as one. "Only a coward slaughters children," I said coldly, "and only a fool underestimates potential enemies."

"Then you are a fool," he said, and attacked.

I blocked the first strike of his sword, then countered with a thrust that glanced off his breastplate. "Seven on one, Derrick. You don't stand a chance." I charged up a spell. "Flameshot!"

"Rose Storm!"

"Grand Stream!" Indora hammered the ground with his axe. "I suppose you would consider Gigantos weak, since we were almost annihilated by bandits. Meteor Strike!"

"Freezing Ring!" Seria spun in midair. "Ant I'll bet you think Winglies are weak, too, since we lost in the Dragon Campaign!"

Sands slashed again, gashing my left arm. "Far from it. It was, after all, a Wingly who so briefly became the God of Destruction back in Endiness, and a Wingly helped defeat him."

"You think you're so tough, eh? Thunder God Attack!" Chris gave the Blood Dragoon a jolt. "Martial abilities mature along with the spirit, and your spirit is anything but mature. That's why Jason defeated you so easily in Lohan."

"Oh really?" Derrick laughed. "Blade of Death!" Chris screamed as the blade penetrated his armor. "As you can see," he went on conversationally, "your powers don't even begin to approach mine."

"Astral Drain!" Dari shouted. "You can't possibly win!"

"I don't need to." Derrick glanced over his shoulder. "In fact, I believe it is time for me to leave. Blood Dragon, attack!"

Were it not for our Dragoon armor, that Dragon summon would almost certainly have killed us. As it was, Laura and Seria were knocked unconscious, and the rest of us were hurt badly. I crashed to my knees, coughing up blood. I glared at Sands. "Just tell me, Derrick," I snarled, spitting out a broken tooth. "How did you defeat the Blood Dragon? You needed power that surpassed even the Dragon Buster to pull that off."

He laughed. "And I acquired a greater source of power. Look up."

I looked. Flying above us was an effeminate looking man on a silver dragon. "That is Kuja, the man behind both my new power and the recent events in Alexandria. It was he who created the Black Mages, and gave Brahne the ability to crush Burmecia." Derrick laughed again. "And soon Princess Garnet will fall into his power. Once that happens, her eidolons can be extracted, giving Queen Brahne the power to dominate the entire world."

Dari sat up, bleeding profusely from a gash in her forehead. "What on earth is an eidolon!?"

"It's a very powerful summon monster," Derrick said, grinning maliciously. "You'll see for yourself, soon enough." He climbed into the sky and vanished.

For the next hour we barely moved. We didn't have access to healing magic, since Laura and Seria were unconscious, so we had no choice but to wait. Fortunately, there was no sign of any patrols, so we were spared any confrontations with enemy soldier, which we almost certainly would have lost.

Relief came from a very unexpected source. "Cura!"

I slowly got to my feet, eyes wide. A woman stood nearby, dark blond hair, a patch over her right eye, a double-edged sword in one hand. I recognized her instantly. _"General Beatrix!?"_

She nodded. "The same. Are you alright?"

"Yes," I said cautiously. "Why did you help us? We're not exactly allies here."

"Not precisely." Beatrix stepped forward. "I am well aware of your connection to the group who abducted Princess Garnet from Alexandria, but I also know that you are not the enemy. Whatever your motivations may be, the Princess clearly went with you willingly." She extended a large artifact, shaped like a Dragon's head. "A man named Lloyd asked me to give you this. He said it would help you defeat your new foe."

I took it. "The Dragon Buster! It'll help, all right. This weapon will go through Dragoon armor like butter." I carefully placed the weapon in a bag. "Why do you care about that guy, anyway?"

Beatrix grimaced. "Derrick Sands claims to be an ally of the Queen, but I don't trust his motivations. I am convinced he cares about only himself."

I winced. "No kidding. That maniac's been the bane of my life for thirteen years."

She turned to leave. "Farewell. I hope we do not face each other in battle."

I turned back to my team. "Alright folks, get some rest. We leave in the morning." 

Author's note: Sorry I took so long, but I had trouble thinking about where to go on this one (death to writer's block!).

To all reviewers: Please, no more personal questions. I'm not angry or anything, I'm simply not comfortable with such things. Yes, Ye Say Ye Fool, you got my name right. I guess I should have picked a more obscure e-mail address. Oh, well, what's done is done.

Story Weaver 1, Indora is full Giganto. The game never specifically says that Kongol is the last one, and I do not for an instant believe that a race as strong as the Gigantos could have been wiped out by a bunch of bandits.

That about covers it. Please keep reading and reviewing, or this story will have no point.


	7. Chapter 6: The Sandy Tree House

Disclaimer: None of this is mine.

"So what do we do now?" Chris asked.

We were taking a rest break near the desert, having left Burmecia some hours earlier. Zidane and his friends were looking rather subdued; it turned out that just before Beatrix met with us, she'd given Zidane's group a severe beating. Quina was still nursing a wound in his right shoulder, courtesy of the good general's Thunder Slash attack. Zidane himself had come through the fight largely uninjured, possibly because of his unusual body.

"Good question." I glanced at our Burmecian comrade. "Freya, what are the chances that the king and his people made it to Cleyra?"

"If they could get through the sandstorm, quite good, actually." Freya shrugged. "Cleyra may have severed ties with Burmecia, but they would never deny those in need. If anyone got through, the Cleyrans would welcome them."

"Then we go to Cleyra as planned." I nodded.

"What about the Alexandrians?" Dari asked. "Would they attack Cleyra directly?"

"Brahne is capable of anything," the Dragon Knight snarled. "And with Beatrix in charge of the troops, I doubt the Cleyrans would stand much of a chance."

I refrained from comment._ Freya, there is much you don't know,_ I thought. _While you may not believe it, Beatrix is in fact our ally._ I had already decided that telling Zidane and company about our meeting with Beatrix would be a mistake. Freya in particular would be very angry indeed, so better to avoid the whole issue.

"And the Black Mages," Vivi murmured, sounding even more nervous than usual. I didn't blame him; after Dali, he was probably questioning his own existence. "What are they? Why is Brahne using them. And who was that man we saw in Burmecia?"

I sighed. "His name's Kuja. He's the one behind this insanity."

Zidane eyed me suspiciously. "How do you know that?"

"Derrick." I winced. "We had an abortive fight with him in the city. He told us that it was Kuja who enabled him to defeat the Blood Dragon, which does not bode well." I got to my feet. "We'd better get moving. We don't know when Alexandria will strike."

For the next few hours we traveled in relative silence. I was grateful; I was in a foul mood, for reasons that were only in part due to the Blood Dragoon, and had no desire for idle conversation. The only sort of terrain that irritates me more than a swamp is a desert, which meant I was not enjoying the trip to Cleyra in the least. _As if Qu's Marsh wasn't bad enough._

The other Dragoons had varying attitudes on the subject. Given how warm Mille Seseau isn't, Seria and Dari shared my opinion, add to that the young Wingly's dislike of sand in general. Zack didn't seem to care, except inasmuch as he kept getting sand in his boots. Laura and Indora evidently had no problems; not a surprise, really, since Tiberoa is just east of the Death Frontier. When Seria asked how he could stand the weather, Chris's only response was something about a Rouge Master being able to handle any environment.

"You know, you're not what I expected."

I turned in surprise. Dari had caught up with me while I brooded. "And just what do you mean by that, Miss Darkness?"

She shrugged, ignoring the "Miss Darkness" bit. "Rose and Seria both told me that you're a cold-blooded guy, and that you keep to yourself."

I bisected a giant scorpion. "And they were right. What's your point?"

"You've been pretty friendly with us." Dari folded her arms. "Why the change of heart?"

"It isn't a change of heart." I sheathed my blade. "From the beginning, I knew that it would be a mistake for me to adopt my usual standoffish ways when dealing with my team. How am I supposed to be a leader if everyone but Zack and Seria is afraid of me?"

"You have a point." She gazed at the huge tree for a moment. "How did you find us so quickly, anyway? I know Zack's your best friend, but what about the rest of us?"

I caught a glimpse of Zidane waving us forward. "We'd better start climbing. Good thing this tree has steps." I drew my sword again, just in case. "As you said, Zack is my best friend; we've known each other for a very long time. Chris I found via the Hero Competition in Lohan. As for the rest, it gets a little strange." _To put it mildly._ "It's been said that Dragoon Spirits attract each other. I don't know precisely if that's true, but I wouldn't be at all surprised. _Something_ led me to Tiberoa, and later to Mille Seseau." I shrugged. "I don't really know anything beyond that."

"Makes sense." Dari smiled. "By the way, I think you're doing a great job."

"If you say so." I still had some serious doubts about Albert choosing me to lead this little band, but it had worked out all right thus far, with perhaps one exception._ I can't afford to lose my temper again the way I did with Steiner. If that happens in a combat situation it could get a whole lot of people killed._ Thankfully, that particular incident was unlikely to repeat itself; my self-control was legendary back home.

Despite being perched on top of a giant tree, Cleyra wasn't all that hard to reach. The trunk had ramps and at least one staircase leading up. There were two reasons we took so long: the first was the sheer size of the tree, the second was, of course, a healthy monster population, if "healthy" is the right word. I was nearly devoured by something that looked like a giant caterpillar. Quina once again demonstrated his effectiveness by feasting on the creature.

I got up, dusting myself off. "Thanks, Quina. That was a little too close." Movement to the left caught my eye. "Dari, look out!"

"Whoa!" She dove out of the way, just barely avoiding a huge sand monster.

"Blizzarra!" Vivi shouted. He rushed to her side. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm just a little shaken up." Dari glared at the corpse. "What in blazes was that?"

"It's called a Sand Golem," Freya said, brushing even more sand from her red jacket. "For obvious reasons, they are quite common in deserts."

"Yeah, well, I'd like for them to be less common," Zack muttered. My royal friend was far from his usual self. He had no objection to deserts per se, it was just that the sandstorm had made a mess of his clothes.

Zidane looked at us. "Why do you guys bother climbing? I've seen that armor of yours. You could just fly up."

I barked a laugh. "In this? You've got to be kidding. Leaving aside the fact that it would be best for us to arrive in the company of an armed Burmecian, so that the Cleyrans and their guests don't mistake us for allies of that maniac Brahne, or worse yet, Derrick, even a Dragoon would have to be insane to fly in the middle of a sandstorm. The chances of running into a tree are pretty high, and Dragoon Armor doesn't protect the wearer from a broken neck."

The thief winced. "Ouch."

It was a moot point by then anyway. After one last flight of stairs, we came to a small ladder with a sign next to it. Not needing any more incentive, we climbed the last few feet with a sense of profound relief.

A pair of Cleyrans met us at the top. "Lady Freya?" one asked. "The King asked us to meet you."

Freya straightened. "Long live the king! Please take me to him."

"Of course. This way, please."

The other one turned to us. "While you are waiting, perhaps I could show you around."

Zidane thought for a moment. "Sure. What about you guys?" he asked, glancing over his shoulder.

"I'll go, too," Vivi said.

"I go look for yummies." With that, the Qu departed.

For varying reasons, we Dragoons all declined. Laura and Seria wanted to rest, Indora said his axe needed sharpening, Chris said something about needing a bite to eat, Zack wanted a change of clothes, (inevitably), Dari wandered off in search of a space in which to practice, and I left on my own, looking for a place to brood.

After strolling aimlessly for about half an hour, I settled on a bench near a magic pool. The events of the past few days had left me more than a little out of sorts. _Why did Albert want me to command this mission?_ I shook my head. What made sense to the King of Serdio was its own subset of reality. However strange he might have been, I trusted his judgment. That was the only thing that kept me from refusing when Zack dropped his little bombshell.

I sighed, firmly reminding myself that there was no point in mulling over that incident. _What's done is done, Jason. You're here, deal with it._ Besides, with Derrick running amok, this journey had given me some added problems. If this Kuja had given him such immense power, it would explain why even all seven of us had failed to defeat him. _How did Derrick meet Kuja? Did one or the other of them find that portal between Gaia and Endiness?_ I jerked upright as the implications hit home. _This isn't a battle for one world, but two. Kuja might not be in the same league as Magician Faust or Melbu Frahma, but he's obviously dangerous. We have to stop him here._

I don't know how long it was before I had company. "Going all introspective again, eh, Jason?"

I glanced at her through the corner of my eye. "Seria's been telling tales again, I see," I said mildly.

Dari shrugged. "Actually, I heard this one from Rose. She's known you pretty much since Dart and Shana took you in, right?"

"True enough."

She gazed at me expectantly, and I sighed. "All right, what do you want to know?"

"I want to know what's bothering you." The Dark Dragoon leaned forward slightly. "Ever since Burmecia, you've been even more withdrawn than usual. Something's eating you."

I sighed again. "If it was indeed Kuja who gave Derrick the power to defeat the Blood Dragon, then it's not just Gaia that's in danger. In order to pull that off, one or the other of them had to have found the portal between Gaia and Endiness."

Dari winced. "And since they know about it, they could attack through the Forest of Winglies."

I nodded grimly. "Giving them immediate access to Mille Seseau. From there, it would be a simple matter to head south and hit Serdio and Tiberoa. And since Derrick's from Seles, he would take great pleasure in annihilating my home. Dart, as the Divine Dragoon, would be the only one with a realistic chance of stopping him. And Shana, of course, would insist on fighting by his side…" I broke off; the subject was becoming too painful.

Dari laid a hand on my shoulder. "You really love them, don't you."

I swallowed. "Yes. Most people don't realize it, but I'm not just a cold-blooded killer. Dart and Shana took me in when no one else would."

"Because of your Wingly heritage." It wasn't a question.

I nodded. "Hard though it may be to imagine, given the publicity Meru's gotten as one of the heroes who took out Melbu Frahma, prejudice against Winglies was quite common when I was little. The fact that my grandmother was a Wingly meant that most people saw me as a monster. Dart eventually convinced them otherwise, but it took time."

"And that's why you keep to yourself so much." Dari grimaced.

"That, and the fact that I simply don't like being around people, for the most part," I agreed. "Our team is an exception, of course, as are the elder Dragoons, and those close to them. Lavitz's mother, Guaraha, the Sacred Sisters, Queen Emille, Lloyd, you get the idea."

"Yep." She lifted an eyebrow. "Speaking of Lloyd, why'd he have Beatrix deliver the Dragon Buster? You'd think he could do it himself."

"He was probably in a hurry." I gazed contemplatively at the ancient Wingly sword. "Soon I will put an end to Derrick Sands, and then I'll find a worthy master for his Dragoon Spirit."

Dari smiled mischievously. "How about Beatrix? She'd make a good Dragoon."

I burst out laughing. "Beatrix of Alexandria, a Dragoon, now _there's_ an interesting thought. Steiner'd probably flip out; he's always complaining about Beatrix trying to 'one-up' him."

"So much the better." My companion chuckled. "He deserves it."

"Better not tell Freya, at least not yet. She'd be one hundred percent guaranteed to be very angry." I casually drew my sword. "What do you say to a quick one-on-one? It's been a while since I was able to practice against a truly skilled opponent."

Dari grinned and drew her rapier. "Thought you'd never ask."

We sparred for the next hour. Watching Dari's moves, I could easily see Rose's influence. While I was somewhat stronger, Dari was significantly faster, catching me off guard more than once. She moved like a dancer, each attack flowing from the last. My fighting style was something of an amalgamation of Dart and Lloyd, combining Dart's punishing slashes with Lloyd's lightning-quick cuts and teleportation dodges.

As usual, sword practice took my mind off of everything else. It was just Dari and me, crossing swords again and again. Neither of us was truly able to gain the upper hand; we were almost perfectly matched. My broadsword would come down in a vicious chop, only to be parried by Dari's rapier.

In the end, it was my superior endurance that won out. Dari missed an attack, leaving herself open. Seeing my chance, I used the same move that won the Hero Competition, Lloyd's infamous launcher strike.

Dari slowly got to her feet, wincing a little. "Good match, Jason. You're even better than I've heard."

I raised my eyebrows. "And where would you have heard such praise regarding my skill in a fight?"

"Rose, of course." She looked at me as though I should have known that.

"Of course." I inspected my blade. "Even if you hadn't mentioned it, I'd be able to tell that Rose trained you. That fighting style is unmistakable, especially to someone like me, having known Rose for as long as I can remember. You are easily one of the best fighters I have ever seen. If that had been a serious battle, I might well have died."

"Maybe." A slow smile spread across her face. "Why don't we go Dragoon, hone our skills in the air?"

I grinned. "You got it."

Another hour was spent fighting, this time in the sky. We had to keep to fairly low altitude, lest we get caught in the sandstorm, but that wasn't much of a problem. There was more than enough room for a pair of Dragoons to soar. This battle was far more spectacular than our earlier match, for obvious reasons. Bright red clashed against deep purple, sending sparks flying in all directions. I caught a glimpse of some Cleyrans far below, staring at us in awe; apparently Zidane hadn't gotten around to explaining about the Dragoons yet. They looked frightened, until Zack showed up and calmed them down.

"Jason, look!" Dari yelled.

I stared down, shocked. "What the…what is that!?"

"I don't know, but it's got a kid in its jaws!"

We swooped in, almost colliding with the Burmecian youngster as he was tossed free. "Oof! What it, ya stupid jerk!" he snarled, glaring at his assailant.

Zidane and friends were there in seconds. "Whoa!"

"The antlion," Freya said grimly. "We'll have to destroy it."

"I'm way ahead of you!" I yelled. "Final Burst!"

"Astral Drain!"

"Reis's Wind!" Some sort of regeneration spell, apparently, courtesy of Freya.

"Mighty Guard!"

"Blizzarra!"

"Gaspless!" Zack had seemingly popped out of nowhere.

The antlion countered with a miniature sandstorm. Zack, Dari, and I were too high up to be affected, but Zidane and his friends were hurt badly.

"Gates of Heaven!" Laura arrived with a timely healing spell.

Zidane pushed himself to his feet, glaring. "I've had enough of you! Scoop Art!"

To say that the antlion was injured by the attack is akin to saying that ice is cold. The hideous creature writhed for a few seconds, then fell over, dead._ Another ugly monster bites the dust,_ I thought._ Do I want to know what we'll face next? Probably not._

Once everyone was cleaned up, we assembled in the heart of the city, I don't know what to call it, really. As it turned out, the young Burmecian the antlion had attacked was the king's son, Prince Puck (and isn't that an odd name for a prince). He'd left Burmecia shortly after Freya did, and hadn't been heard from since. Vivi seemed to know him, though.

"And who are these?" the king asked, turning to me.

I stood tall, looking him straight in the eye; I'd spent too much time with King Albert to be overawed by a monarch. "We are the Dragoons. We are the Dragon Knights who have the power to rule Dragons."

"They learned of impending danger on Gaia, and came to help," Freya explained.

"I see." The Burmecian king looked us over. "They carry themselves like warriors, even the young girl." That last was directed at Seria, who just smiled.

One of the Cleyrans approached Freya. "We will now perform a ceremony to strengthen the sandstorm. With the assistance of a Dragon Knight like yourself, it should grow even more powerful."

Freya nodded. "The ceremony from the time Burmecia and Cleyra were one, I see. I will gladly help."

"This should be interesting," Indora muttered.

The Giganto understated it by a wide margin. A Cleyran across the room from us began playing a large harp, while four more Cleyrans joined Freya in a bizarre dance. I never thought I'd find myself watching five humanoid rats perform a dance, but I was beyond surprise by this point. Music filled the air for just over a minute, and then there was a high-pitched snap.

"The strings have snapped," the harpist said worriedly. "A bad omen, this is."

I was about to ask why, but I got my answer easily enough. The sandstorm which had protected Cleyra for a century slowly faded, leaving the giant tree open to attack._ This is not a good sign. Beware of Black Mages._ I gazed out at the surrounding desert._ We may well have to face Beatrix in combat._

"This is gonna get ugly," Zack murmured. "I guarantee you Alexandria's going to show up very soon."

"I think you're right," I murmured back. Then, switching to Wingly in case we were overheard, "We'll probably have to face Beatrix in person. How do we make it convincing without doing any permanent damage?"

"We're Dragoons," Laura put in. "We'll think of something."

"I hope you're right." I turned to the king. "Your Majesty, we'll scout from above. If the Alexandrians try to come up the trunk, we'll spot them."

He nodded gratefully. "Thank you."

I transformed. "Come on, guys, let's move."

Author's note: I decided to split the events in Cleyra into two parts because I thought the story was moving a little too fast. Next will come the first appearance of an eidolon.

Not much else to say, except thanks for reading and please keep it up.


	8. Chapter 7: Odin

The usual disclaimers apply.

---------------------------------------

Normally I enjoy floating hundreds of feet above the ground, but my reasons for being airborne that day left little room for sightseeing. With the sandstorm gone, Cleyra was vulnerable to attack from both the ground and the air. Knowing that Alexandria possessed both a crack force of ground troops and a respectable airship fleet, I was expecting an assault from both directions.

Strangely, though, the expected attack had thus far failed to materialize. We'd been watching for two hours without seeing any sign of enemy activity. I found this more than a little troubling; given Queen Brahne's current state of mind, Cleyra should have been crawling with Alexandrian soldiers and Black Mages.

I glanced at my team. Dari hovered a few feet away, gazing down with a disturbed expression on her face. Indora seemed his usual self, but I could see the flesh around his eyes tighten, a sign that he wasn't as calm as he appeared. Chris and my beloved "little sister" Seria flew together at a somewhat lower altitude, nervous but at the same time ready for anything. Zack's familiar green-clad form drifted off to my right, with Laura behind him and slightly to his left.

Seeing the Light Dragoon's proximity to Zack, and the Crown Prince's subtle yet blindingly obvious protectiveness toward her, I had the sudden thought that I was looking at the next Queen of Serdio. Laura's Tiberoan origins wouldn't be a hindrance, given that Zack's mother, Queen Emille, was the heir to the throne in that country, thus making the union of Tiberoa and Serdio inevitable. Nor did the fact that Laura was a commoner matter in the least; Shana was a princess of Mille Seseau, and yet she and Dart had been married for almost two decades. True, she hadn't learned of her royal heritage until a month or so before the wedding, but the fact of it remained.

I grinned at the thought, but it was fleeting. Before any of that could happen, we first had to complete our mission in Gaia, and hopefully live through it. The Alexandrians didn't worry me; no conceivable number of common soldiers could possibly defeat seven Dragoons, and Beatrix of course had no intention of doing us any permanent harm. The Black Mages could be a bit more of a challenge, what with their stronger than normal magic, but even they would ultimately fall.

The joker in the deck was, of course, Derrick Sands. With the Blood Dragoon having joined forces with Brahne, I was far from certain that we would prevail. _That bastard's probably become even stronger since our last meeting. This isn't going to be easy, but I will kill him. I have no choice._ The only thing that gave me any confidence at all with regard to that encounter was the Dragon Buster. It could kill a Dragon with one hit in the right place, and go through Dragoon armor like butter. I had no reason to believe Derrick's armor would be any different in that respect. The problem would be getting close enough to strike.

Dari's voice jarred me out of my gloomy thoughts. "Hey, Jason, you okay?"

I gave myself a mental shake. "I think so. It's just that…" I shook my head. "Brahne's up to something, I can feel it. We've been up here for two hours, and we haven't seen so much as a single soldier. That just doesn't feel right. Whatever else she may be, Brahne is anything but stupid."

"So you think something nasty is going to happen soon," Dari said.

I nodded. "It reminds me of something Commodore Puler said to me, some years ago. 'Watch for trouble where the water is smoothest.' If we haven't seen any sign of enemy troops, that tells me something very bad is imminent."

"He's right," Zack put in. "It's pretty basic: expect the unexpected. In combat, if you're not very careful, _wham!_ Checkmate." The chess metaphor was something of a private joke of ours; when we weren't sparring or digging through the Indels Castle library, we'd often play chess. Usually I'd win, but Zack had been known to pull off an occasional come-from-behind victory.

"At least Beatrix is on our side," Laura added. "Maybe she can find a way to stop this."

I sighed. "There isn't much she can do at this point, Laura. One thing you have to understand about Beatrix is that she is fiercely loyal. She'll obey orders, even if she disagrees with them."

"Always?" Seria asked in disbelief. "What if what she's doing is wrong?"

"For the most part, that isn't for a soldier to decide," I told her. "Beatrix isn't stupid, far from it. The problem here is that so far her orders have involved military campaigns. Whether Brahne was right or wrong in launching those attacks is in this context irrelevant. Beatrix's job is to carry the war to a successful conclusion, even if she doesn't like it."

The young Wingly still wasn't convinced. "Can't she do anything to stop it? Surely her troops would support her."

"It's not that simple, Seria," Zack said. "Military rebellions are always dicey; they usually succeed, but it almost always ends up as a case of the cure being worse than the disease."

"Listen to Zack," I said. "He knows history in general very well, few better. Now, you're right that Beatrix's troops would probably support her, but that doesn't matter, because the chances of her pulling a stunt like that are somewhere between microscopic and nonexistent. Don't get me wrong; if she's given an order that would directly threaten Alexandria as a whole, or the royal family, particularly Princess Garnet, she wouldn't hesitate to disobey. That, however, is an extreme case, and unlikely to occur here."

Seria sighed. "You're right. It's just that---" She broke off, staring incredulously at the tree trunk. "Look! Alexandrian soldiers!"

"Forget them!" Chris snapped. "Black Mages have entered the city!"

I made my decision in an instant. "Chris is right, the Black Mages are the greater threat. Come on!"

Seven Dragoons descended on the city of Cleyra like the wrath of an enraged deity. And enraged was precisely the right word; my first sight upon getting into range was of a Black Mage incinerating a pair of Burmecian children._ Those vermin! They will pay for what they have done this day!_

"Leave the kids alone, you freaks!" Seria screamed, slamming her hammer into the ground. "Diamond Dust!"

I landed a few yards away, amid a squad of foot soldiers. Out of deference for Beatrix's position, I refrained from killing any, but I made sure they were too scattered to be effective. They prudently ran, having no desire to take on an enraged Dragoon.

"KILL!"

I turned, glaring. "You're mine." I may have avoided killing soldiers, but I had no such compunctions about Black Mages. I flapped for altitude, then dove, driving my sword into the golem's chest. Instead of blood, some sort of black ichor spouted from the wound. The mage fell over and simply disintegrated.

Nearby, Indora was tangling with no fewer than five mages. "You are nothing but mindless killing machines," he snarled, "and you do not belong in this world. Meteor Strike!"

_Watch for falling rocks,_ I thought sardonically, watching the mages get pounded by Indora's massive Earth spell.

Chris bared his teeth in what might charitably be called a grin. "Don't look so shocked, pal. Atomic Mind!"

Zack and Laura, meanwhile, fought close to Zidane and his friends. This was due to the fact that Zidane was escorting a group of survivors to higher ground; Zack's Rose Storm and Laura's healing magic were more useful there than in the sort of melee the rest of us had to deal with.

"Demon's Gate!" Dari appeared next to me.

"Smooth move," I commented, watching three mages bite the dust. I struck the ground with my sword, hard. "Explosion!"

"Wing Blaster!" Zack swooped in. "Come on, Jason, we've gotta move! There's only one safe place in the whole city!"

The next few minutes were a blur, broken up by brief confrontations with yet more Black Mages. I quickly grew tired of it; kill one, and another would teleport in. They would usually be flanked by Alexandrian soldiers, who were easily dealt with. They had us surrounded at the top, when…

"Minions of evil, you have gone too far!" A male Burmecian leapt into the fray. "You shall scatter like leaves on the wind under the force of my blade!" Without further comment, the mysterious warrior executed another flying leap, and suddenly we were in the clear. "Run!"

Once inside, we got an even bigger surprise: the man was none other than Iron-tail Fratley, Freya's lost love. Apparently, he'd lost his memory at some point during his world tour; he didn't even remember Freya, the King, or his time as a Dragon Knight.

"If you don't remember any of that, then why did you come here?" Zidane asked.

"I'll tell ya!" Puck scurried in, nearly colliding with Vivi. "I ran into him while I was traveling around the world. And you guessed it, he didn't know who I was, or even who he was!"

"So Puck knew something nasty was going to happen, and he arranged for you to be here, is that it?" I asked.

Fratley nodded. "He told me of the danger, and in doing so stirred some of my memories. I know I was once a Dragon Knight, but nothing beyond that." He grasped his spear. "I must go." And then he was gone, Puck following at a distance.

_Well, that was interesting. Freya's boyfriend is still alive, but he has amnesia._ I shook my head; things were getting way too strange for my tastes. _He certainly helped us out, but I'm certain it's not over yet._

I was right, it was far from over. A scream from one of the Cleyrans alerted me to a new dilemma: Beatrix was standing near the harp, her sword aimed at a hapless Cleyran. "Please, spare me!"

The general snorted. "Foolish Cleyrans, you fail to recognize the true power of this jewel!" She casually knocked the stone loose with her blade, catching it one-handed.

"Our magic stone!"

"Now that I have this, I am through with your city!" With that, Beatrix turned and left at a dead run.

Freya chased after her. "Halt, villain!"

"Jason, what do we do?" Dari asked in a low voice.

I sighed. "We have no choice. We follow."

Beatrix skidded to a stop just outside. "Think you'll get away!?" Zidane snarled.

"Get away?" The general gave a disbelieving laugh. "Have you forgotten how badly I beat you in Burmecia?"

"Then you are a fool for not finishing what you started!" Freya growled.

"I find no yummies here, so we cook you instead!" That was Quina's idea of a battle cry.

Beatrix drew her sword. "Then allow me to shatter your delusions of grandeur!"

I drew my sword and set myself. As I said, Beatrix had no intention of doing us any permanent harm; the trick would be to make it look genuine. Zidane as yet still had no knowledge of our meeting in Burmecia, and now was definitely not the time to reveal it. If I was seen to do less than my best in this fight, the young thief would quite possibly turn on me, with disastrous results.

Vivi made it a moot point. "Thundara!"

"Mighty guard!"

I lunged forward, locking blades with Beatrix. We stared at each other past our crossed swords, neither willing to yield. I could feel her straining, trying to break the deadlock._ Here we go._

It ended abruptly when Zidane charged in from the side. Beatrix spun, kicked Zidane away, then spun once again and knocked my blade from my hand before I could react. She followed up with a swift kick to my armored chest, knocking me sprawling. "Oof!"

_"Jason!"_ Zack shouted. He attacked, swinging his spear wildly, only to be countered by a well-placed Shock move. He fell next to me.

"Zack, calm down," I hissed. "She's on our side, remember? She won't do any permanent harm."

"I know, but I had to make it look real," Zack hissed back. "Zidane knows you're my best friend, and he saw you get hurt. He'd have been suspicious if I didn't flip out."

I had no answer for that, having been distracted by Freya's war cry. Seeing Zack and me both taken out, she moved in with a jumping attack, nearly impaling the Alexandrian. Beatrix nimbly dodged, and retaliated with a nasty-looking strike. Freya was down for the count.

"No more games. Stock Break!" The general's attack crushed everyone still on their feet. "I shall leave with the Jewel now." She sheathed her blade and moved for a teleporter. As she passed me, she whispered, "Cleyra will be destroyed soon. Please hurry." And then, in a voice even I could barely hear, "I'm sorry."

I gave her a fractional nod. "I understand. You did what you had to do." I watched Beatrix vanish, then hauled myself upright. "Zidane, don't worry about us. We can get out on our own."  
He nodded. "Be careful."

"Thanks." I transformed, the others right behind me. "Come on, guys, let's move."

Within moments, we were back in the air. Zidane, Freya, and Vivi followed Beatrix through a teleporter; Quina opted to take the long way down, citing a fear of heights. I had no time to dwell on Qu peculiarities; I was focused on the flagship of the Alexandrian fleet, Queen Brahne's _Red Rose_, about half a mile distant. In spite of the distance, I could clearly see the Queen's corpulent form on the upper deck. _What is she doing?_

Seria saw it, too. "Jason, I sense…she's holding something with incredible power."

Indora frowned. "Could it have something to do with the eidolons Sands mentioned in Burmecia?"

"Whatever it is, I can guarantee it's going to be unpleasant," Zack said grimly.

What happened next rivaled Dart's descriptions of the destruction of the Moon That Never Sets. A jet-black beam lanced out from the airship, creating a vortex about a hundred feet above our position. Out of it came a gigantic warrior, riding atop a six-legged horse and carrying an equally huge spear. His eyes glowed redly as he hurled the weapon down, striking Cleyra in the very center. The result was a titanic explosion, more violent than anything I had seen before. In less than a minute, there was nothing but a crater, where once had been a thriving city.

"What in the name of Soa?" Chris gasped.

Laura's normally tanned face was white as bone. "You were right, Indora. That must have been an eidolon," she breathed.

I was speechless, staring at the rubble with a mixture of horror and rage._ Burmecia was bad enough; this…this is beyond the pale._ I turned my gaze east, towards Alexandria._ Kuja, Derrick, you were behind this madness, of that I have no doubt. I will personally destroy you, I swear it._

Seria's sharp eyes spotted something I'd missed. "Guys, Quina made it. I can see him."

Dari sighed with obvious relief. "That's something, at least."  
_You're right._ "Come on, people. We need to find a place to rest." I scanned the horizon. "Those cliffs. We can make it in less than an hour."

---------------------------------

It was a ragged crew that touched down on the cliffs. We were all battered and bruised from the fighting in Cleyra, and we needed time to recover. I was relatively uninjured; Beatrix's kick had left little more than a bruise. Zack wasn't so fortunate; the general's Shock attack had left him barely able to stand. The others had escaped the majority of the fight, only to be hammered by Stock Break.

Laura was still in shock. "Why? Why did they have to destroy the whole city?"

"I was because of Kuja and that bastard Derrick," I said flatly. "That silver-haired wacko clearly has no respect for life, and I can tell you from personal experience that Derrick Sands has the conscience of a Virage. I will just bet he was somewhere within sight of Cleyra, enjoying the show."

"Jason's right," Zack said. "I don't know Sands as well as he does, but what I do know I definitely don't like. That lunatic is capable of anything."

"So what do we do about it?" Dari wanted to know.

"We get some rest," I said, clenching my fist around the hilt of the Dragon Buster, "and then we're going hunting. Tomorrow we put an end to the 'Scourge of Seles'." The blade flowed into view, as if emphasizing my statement. "Tomorrow, Derrick Sands will die."

---------------------------------------

Author's note: Next chapter will feature the final confrontation with the Blood Dragoon, and then the Dragoons will reunite with Zidane and company.

Now for some replies. First, to Red-Eyed, Divine Dragoon (I can never get the number straight), Solid Shark will update "The Second Story of the Diamond Dragoon" once he gets over a serious case of writer's block. In the meantime he has something else in the works, he having a penchant for what-ifs. To Ye Say Ye Fool, Cleyra is on the second disc. To Sword Master Jeff, you're exactly right. Jason and Dari will wind up together; I'll expand on that in the next chapter. To Emily, you obviously didn't read the notes at the beginning of the bio chapter, so I'll explain it again: this is an A.U. story. For my purposes, Lavitz, Lloyd, Rose, and Zieg are all still alive, and Shana has regained her Dragoon powers.

I think that covers it. Please keep reviewing.


	9. Chapter 8: Fire On High

I own none of this.

-------------------------------

It is fortunate that I can function on very little sleep if I have to, because very little is precisely what I got. Plagued by nightmares, I kept snapping awake, breathing hard and sweating. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Cleyra exploding under the force of Odin's lance. So many people, snuffed out in an instant just to satisfy Brahne's greed.

After the fourth time, I gave up trying to sleep. Sighing in despair, I rose, pulling on my armor and retrieving my sword. Deciding that some exercise might help, I stepped away from the sleeping forms of my companions and began running through a broadsword kata, slashing against an imaginary opponent and parrying imaginary return blows.

_This is more like it._ The training distracted me not only from my nightmares, but from my worries about the coming confrontation with Derrick. I wasn't stupid enough to insist on dealing with him solo, but I wasn't sure how much good we'd do even seven-on-one. He had crushed us in Burmecia; the only reason we were still alive was because he had more important things to take care of.

Finishing the kata, I sheathed my blade and sat on the ground, gazing at the horizon. Far to the south, I could just see Pinnacle Rock, a natural edifice a few miles east of Lindblum. There were rumors of a ghost being sighted in the area. Most people dismissed such things, but I wasn't so sure, due to my own experiences. When I was fifteen, Dart had taken me to the Death City Mayfil. Anyone who's been there knows that those who don't believe in ghosts are naïve at best.

I heard footsteps behind me. "Couldn't sleep?" It was, inevitably, the Dark Dragoon.

"Yeah, something like that." I fell silent briefly. "I managed to identify the eidolon that hit Cleyra, by the way: Odin, warrior of the dark."

Although I couldn't see her face, I had the distinct impression Dari had gone wide-eyed. "How did you figure that out?"

I shrugged. "Zack found a book on eidolons in a library in Cleyra. I recognized Odin from the description he gave me." I shivered. "I've never seen anything like it. The sheer power was beyond any Dragoon spell I can think of, with the possible exception of Dart's Divine Dragon Cannon attack."

Dari laid a hand on my shoulder. "And that's why you can't sleep."

I nodded. "Nightmares. Whenever I close my eyes, I see Cleyra exploding from the force of Odin's lance, but even that's not the worst. No, the worst is the sound of laughter, scornful laughter. Then I hear a voice. 'Your quest is a fool's errand, Connell. If you go on, you will only be the cause of more death.'"

"Do you recognize the voice?"

"Of course I do." I snorted. "Who else could it be but Derrick. It's not enough that he's been my worst enemy for thirteen years, now he's even coming after me in my dreams."

Dari didn't answer at first. "I think you're worrying too much. Everyone has nightmares after witnessing something like what happened yesterday. And from what you and Zack have said, Derrick's no telepath, so it's not like he's invading your mind to torment you."

"I know, but what am I supposed to do about it?" I covered my face with my hands. "I tried exercise, but that was a temporary fix at best."

"Sounds like you need a better distraction." She surreptitiously moved a little closer.

I was about to respond with a snide remark, but something in her voice stopped me. "And just what do you mean by that?" I asked, suspicion coloring my tone.

Dari reached up and stroked my face. "I love you, Jason."

I'm not easy to startle, but that one was just out of the blue._ She…she…what!?_ It took me nearly a minute to formulate a response, for the simple reason that I couldn't make my voice work right. _She can't have said that! No girl in her right mind would say that!_

The Dark Dragoon smiled. "Are you going to say something, or just keep gaping like a fish?"

Her teasing remark brought me to my senses. _She's no crazier than I am. After all, I'm the one with the reputation as a cold-blooded killer._ Feeling somewhat awkward, I took her hand. "I…love you, too."

We kissed, and for that moment I completely forgot everything else. Out of all the possibilities of this journey, the last thing I expected was to fall in love. And yet, there it was.

Dari pulled back, just a little. "Maybe that'll improve your disposition."

I chuckled and slipped an arm around her waist. "Not likely. Eighteen years is a long time to get set in your ways."

She rested her head on my shoulder. "True enough."

We sat together for the next hour, just watching the sky. I had a lot to think about, very little of it having to do with our mission. Mostly I was wondering how the folks back home would react when they found out about this. Dart and Shana, of course, would be happy for me, ditto Rose and Zieg. The others were more problematic. _Haschel and Meru are gonna be unbearable. And then there's Zack's dad._ The King of Serdio had developed a habit of needling me whenever he got the chance. This was going to give him years of material.

"Well, well, well, so Jason finally has a girlfriend."

I slowly turned and bestowed my iciest glare on the speaker. "You're one to talk, O Great Prince." I let a sly smile cross my face. "I've seen the way you look at Laura. I bet she's the next Queen of Serdio."

To my amusement, Zack blushed crimson. "Hey, that, that's not the same thing," he stuttered.

Dari laughed. "Don't worry about it, Zack. You two make a cute couple."

The prince somehow managed to get even redder. "Come on, cut it out. I…we…" Apparently deciding that he was wasting his time, Zack spun on his heel and left.

Dari couldn't stop laughing. "I've never seen him like that. He looked like he was about to burst a blood vessel."

"He probably was." I grinned. "You should have seen him when he and Laura first met. That is the only time I've ever seen Zack at a loss for words. It was like he'd forgotten how to speak." I got to my feet. "We'd better get moving. Today's going to be very busy indeed."

How right I was.

--------------------------------------

Judging by the looks Dari and I got when we got back to camp, Zack had spread the latest news. Laura was blushing a little; apparently Zack had also mentioned what I said about them. Seria just smiled; she knew me well enough to know how I would react to teasing. Indora was unreadable as usual, while Chris wore the look of someone who has just seen a pig fly and is still dealing with the unexpected reality.

My stern expression stifled any potential quips. "All right, guys, this is it. There isn't much we can do about Brahne at this point, but that isn't what we're here for anyway. Right now, our top priority is to take out a psychotic Dragoon." I let my face soften a little. "I'm not stupid enough to insist on taking him on all by myself. Dragoons are stronger when they fight as a team, and that is precisely what we'll have to do to win this battle. Derrick Sands is the most lethal opponent we have faced to date, but we have one major advantage: we have the Dragon Buster, and Derrick doesn't know it."

Indora raised a hand. "What exactly are we supposed to do?"

I drew my sword. "Use your strongest attacks, and your most lethal magic. Derrick has no element, so everyone will have something unpleasant for him. If necessary, I'll get in close and use the Dragon Buster on him, but that will most likely be a last-ditch tactic, which I hope will not come into play. Everyone ready?"

The Giganto nodded solemnly. "Ready."

"Bring it on!" Zack said.

"Let's go," Laura added.

Chris did a quick warm-up. "Ready to fight."

"Let's take him!" Seria piped up.

I turned to the Dark Dragoon. "Ready to go, Dari?"

She smiled and squeezed my hand. "I'll go with you to the end."

"Thanks."

---------------------------------------

Derrick wasn't hard to find, far from it. He hovered over Pinnacle Rock, openly challenging us. Coming to a stop a hundred yards away, I searched his face for signs of his intent. It wasn't difficult; a feral grin twisted his face, and madness lit his eyes. It was like staring into a distorted mirror; he really did resemble me more than I cared to think about. He was a little shorter, perhaps, his hair a touch lighter, but we had the same build, and the blades we carried were identical, our armor nearly so.

He spotted me at once. "Ready for the showdown, Iceman?"

I stared coldly at him. "More ready than you realize, Derrick." At my gesture, the Dragoons spread out, surrounding the traitor. "You do know the penalty for treason, correct?"

Derrick laughed mockingly. "Treason? Ha! Are you really that naïve?"

"You betrayed your king and attacked his agents, one of them his own son and the heir to the throne," I countered. "That is treason by any standard. Add to that murder, looting, and very probably other crimes, and we have all the justification we need to kill you."

"Ah, but you don't have the ability! And I am not the only one you must fight!" He laughed. "Deal with this!"

"This" was a Dragon, like none I had ever even heard of. It bore a certain resemblance to Rose's descriptions of Michael, but the color was much different. Jade green predominated, with violet and light blue making up the rest.

Dari inhaled sharply. "The Storm Dragon," she breathed.

"'Storm Dragon'?" I repeated.

She nodded, her face white. "Rose told me about it. It's a tri-elemental."

Zack whirled, staring at her in disbelief. "_Tri_-elemental!?"

"Right. As the term suggests, it has three elements: Wind, Water, and Thunder." Dari shivered. "It's called the Storm Dragon because it likes to cause major thunderstorms. It could be even more dangerous than Sands."

"Holy fright."

"Don't you want to fight, Iceman?" Derrick taunted. "All you've done so far is talk! Have you lost your nerve?"

I ignored him. "Indora, Dari, with me! We'll take the Storm Dragon! The rest of you, keep Derrick busy until we're finished!"

"Got it, Jason!" Zack yelled. "Rose Storm!"

I focused my attention on the Dragon. "Final Burst!"

"Meteor Strike!"

"Astral Drain!"

The Dragon retaliated with a multicolored beam of light, hammering Dari and almost killing Indora and me. That was just for starters; it followed up with one of the thunderstorms Dari mentioned, scorching the land for about a mile around with lightning strikes. Were it not for Zack's Rose Storm, we almost certainly would have died.

The Dark Dragoon was the first to recover. "You'll pay for that one! Dark Dragon, attack!"

Seeing the havoc wrought by Dari's attack, I summoned my own Dragon before our foe could recover. Indora came next; he was last due to the fact that he had trouble with magic in general, an unfortunate hallmark of Gigantos.

_"Laura!!!"_

I spun at the sound of Zack's scream. Laura had gotten too close to the Blood Dragoon, and paid for it. She was in freefall, still in Dragoon form, fortunately, but she was clearly unconscious. Her bow fell alongside her, broken in half.

_"You bastard!!!"_ Zack shouted, charging. _"I'll kill you!!!"_

"Oh really?" Derrick laughed harshly. "I think not." Moving faster than I had thought possible, he parried Zack's attack and countered with a punishing chop, knocking the Crown Prince out and reducing his spear's shaft to splinters.

I was quickly reminded of my own problems. Indora had found an opening in the Dragon's defense and driven his axe into the beast's hide. Roaring with pain and rage, the Dragon bit the axe handle in half and disabled the Giganto with one swipe of its tail.

_Blast it! That's three Dragoons down in less than a minute! This is not going well._ The only bright spot I could see at this point was that the Storm Dragon was almost dead. I decided to finish the job. "I have had enough of you! _Final Burst!_"

The Dragon gave one last roar and fell, crashing at the base of Pinnacle Rock. I didn't spare it more than a glance; Derrick had just taken out Chris and Seria simultaneously. Chris had lost his gloves, and Seria's hammer was in many pieces.

"Seria, no!!" In the confusion, I had forgotten that Seria and Dari had been close friends for a long time. Dari's cry of anger reminded me at the worst possible moment. The Dark Dragoon was flying straight for Sands, all sense of caution forgotten. "Die!!!"

Watching Derrick's stance, I saw what was coming at once, but I was too far away. "Dari, don't!"

Too late. Derrick's attack shattered Dari's rapier, then cut deeply into her side. With a single cry of pain, the Dark Dragoon followed the others down.

_"NO!!"_ Only my years of training kept me from losing it altogether right then. Lucky for me; Derrick abandoned his defensive stance and came after me directly. I was able to block his attack, but not soon enough. My blade snapped in half from the force of his blow, and I watched in horror as it tumbled to the ground. _Only once chance left. I'd better make use of it._ I reached into my pack. "This has gone on long enough, Derrick. I swear I'll kill you."

He laughed. "With what, Iceman? I just broke your sword."

"That sword, true." I smiled thinly, and the Dragon Buster flared to life in my hand. "You know what this is?"

I had finally managed to shatter the Blood Dragoon's composure. "The Dragon Buster!? How did you get that!?"

"I'd tell you to ask Beatrix, but that won't be possible!" With a snarl of rage I plunged the weapon into his chest. "It's over, Derrick."

He stared at me for a long moment. "You might think so, Iceman," he said, blood streaming from his mouth, "but you won't be so lucky. I may be finished, but Kuja is still out there. You can't possibly beat him." His eyes glazed over, and his lifeless form tumbled to the ground.

"We shall see." I waited for the Dragoon Spirit to leave, then pulled off one last spell. "Explosion!" The raging flames reduced Derrick Sands to nothing more than a pile of ash.

----------------------------------

My comrades were in better shape than I had anticipated, thanks to the timely arrival of Zidane, Vivi, and Dagger. The princess's healing magic took care of the rest. _Thank goodness. I was afraid they wouldn't make it._

"Jason!" Dari almost knocked me off my feet.

I held her close. "It's over. Derrick won't be bothering us again." I glanced at Dagger. "Thanks for taking care of them. That bastard almost did us in."

Dagger shook her head. "There is no need for thanks. I owe you a great deal."

"Whatever." I caught Zidane looking at me with a puzzled expression. "Something wrong?"

"I'm not sure." He held up a glowing tricolor gem. "Is this what I think it is?"

Zack caught on first. "That is the Dragoon Spirit of the Storm Dragon. Congratulations, Zidane." He grinned. "Now you get to be really nasty."

The thief frowned. "I know what a Dragoon is, but you sound like there's more too it."

"There is indeed," I said. "You remember that each of us has a different element, right?" Zidane nodded. "Note that our Dragoon Spirits have different colors." I held mine up as an example.

"I'm following you so far," Zidane said. "Each color represents a different element."

I nodded. "Precisely. Red for Fire, jade green for Wind, dark blue for Darkness, white for Light, violet for Thunder, gold for Earth, and light blue for Water." I gestured to his spirit. "Yours is what we call a tri-elemental, meaning it has three elements. Wind, Water, and Thunder, to be exact."

"And that's why it's a tricolor instead of a solid like yours, I get it."

I stooped and retrieved Derrick's Dragoon Spirit. "This will go to General Beatrix when I get the chance to deliver it."

Zidane shot me an odd look, clearly not surprised. "I figured you knew something about her that we didn't."

I raised an eyebrow. "And you don't want to kill me for it?"

"Hey, just because I'm a skirt-chaser doesn't mean I'm stupid." He grinned. "I figured you had a good reason, so I stayed out of it. Besides, I didn't want to tangle with someone who can flatten whole cities."

"Very wise, my friend." I turned to the princess. "Speaking of Beatrix, is she alright?"

"She was when we left," Dagger said softly, "but…"

Zidane came to her rescue. "Beatrix found out that the Queen was planning to kill Dagger after the eidolons were extracted," he explained. "She, Rusty, and Freya stayed behind to cover our escape, with a little help from Tantalus." His lip twisted. "We were supposed to go to Treno, but a big monster chased us all the way here."

"I see." I looked at Dagger. "I don't think you have much to worry about. Freya is easily Burmecia's best dragon knight, Beatrix is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, sword masters in the world, and Steiner, however annoying he may be, at least knows how to fight. They should be fine."

"Sorry to cut this short, be we've gotta go." Zidane pocketed his new Spirit. "Dagger's trying to pass some sort of test to earn a new eidolon. We only stopped when your friends dropped in."

I shrugged. "Don't worry about it. We have an errand of our own. What say we meet at the entrance when we're finished."

Zidane looked at the princess. "That okay with you, Dagger?"

"Sure."

"Excellent." I nodded. "One more thing, Zidane. Quina made it out of Cleyra alive."

He sighed with relief. "Thanks. That's a load off my mind."

"Good luck with the eidolon." While the three of them resumed their trek, I dug around in my pack. "It should be here somewhere."

"What are you looking for?" Chris asked.

"This." I produced an old, dusty book. "Since our little set-to with Derrick resulted in the loss of our weapons, we're going to need new ones before we can proceed. This," I said, indicating the book, "will tell us how to get them."

Seria eyed it curiously. "It looks like it's in Old Wingly."

"Correct. It belonged to my grandmother." I opened it and began reading aloud. "'These weapons shall be made for the seven Dragoon Warriors,' that's us, 'when they are in dire need.'"

"It doesn't get much more dire than this," Zack said with a snort.

"'Each weapon shall be imbued with the element of its wielder, thus giving it unimaginable strength.'" I closed the book. "What that basically means is, once your weapon is almost complete, you need to bathe it in light from your Dragoon Spirit. That will infuse it with it's proper element. Any questions?" None came. "Then let's get started."

Pinnacle Rock proved to be well-supplied in all the materials we needed. I didn't understand why, but to be honest I didn't care. What we needed was wood, stone, and metal, and Pinnacle Rock had more than enough. I see no need to describe the forging process, since it was unbelievably dull, but I will say that Zidane and friends were finished with their test well before we were ready.

Four hours later, we were ready.

Seria lifted hers first. "The hammer of Water, Tsunami."

Indora hefted a truly massive axe; I doubt I could have lifted it. "The axe of Earth, Mountain's Bones."

Chris pulled on a pair of thick gloves. "Gloves of Thunder, Lightning Fist."

Laura strapped a quiver to her back. "Arrows of Light, the Shining Bow."

Zack twirled his new lance, testing its balance. "The spear of Wind, Kamikaze."

Dari stabbed once, driving the blade into a tree. "The sword of Darkness, Raging Demon."

I hefted my new sword, slashing experimentally. "The sword of Fire, Burning Dragon." I sheathed the blade. "Come on."

Zidane and Dagger didn't even notice us when we caught up with them, not that I blamed them. We stared, mesmerized, as Lindblum came under attack by Alexandrian forces. The _Red Rose_ hovered just outside the city wall, firing away with its cannons. This, however, was just to soften up the defenses; I saw the distinctive teleport effect. _They're sending Black Mages into the city. This will be very bad._

"Uh-oh," Zack said. "Brahne's summoning an eidolon."

I growled a Wingly curse under my breath. "Do you recognize it?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Atomos. It has some kind of gravity attack, very nasty."

Once again, the Crown Prince showed his gift for understatement. Atomos looked like just a head with a huge mouth. Its purpose became clear almost at once; chunks of debris, weapons, and, horribly, Lindblum soldiers, were simply inhaled. After about two minutes the eidolon vanished, leaving those who hadn't reached its mouth to a very long drop."

"What do we do now?" Laura whispered in horror. Zack gripped her shoulder.

"We sneak into Lindblum," I said grimly, noting Dagger's pain and Zidane's all-too-obvious fury. "And we hope some survived."

-----------------------------------

Author's note: And so the "Scourge of Seles" bites the dust. Next up will be a covert trip to Lindblum, and then to Fossil Roo. Not much else to say here, except thanks for reviewing as usual.


	10. Chapter 9:Lindblum and Fossil Roo

Same disclaimer. (Isn't this a little redundant?)

------------------------------------

If we had any doubts that Beatrix was no longer in charge of the army, the situation in Lindblum quickly dispelled them. Not only were the troops behaving in a manner that she would never have permitted, but they hadn't even taken the elementary step of guarding the Hunter's Gate. Thanks to that amateur slipup, we were able to enter Lindblum undetected.

Vivi had stayed behind, just inside the gate. He'd wanted to come with us, but Zidane had pointed out that since the city was swarming with Alexandrian soldiers, that was a very bad idea. The young mage would have been recognized for what he was, and that would have meant trouble.

Zack shook his head at the carnage. "Man, what a mess. Is Brahne insane?"

The Crown Prince once again demonstrated his facility for understatement. From what we had heard thus far, the Industrial District was little more than a pile of rubble. The Theater and Business districts hadn't fared much better, though they at least were still almost intact. So far as I could tell, Lindblum Castle itself had been spared, though I had no idea why.

_This is too much._ Some people might think that my ability to maintain a cool exterior even in the face of this sort of disaster means that I'm heartless, but nothing could be farther from the truth. It is simply that I long ago recognized that losing control of my emotions in such a situation will only compound the disaster. So it proved here; had I lost it and cut loose with a display of power, the results would have been catastrophic.

Dagger, for her part, appeared to be on the verge of total collapse. Suddenly finding out that her mother truly intended to kill her was bad enough, learning of the destruction caused by her own summon magic was far worse.

She snapped out of her funk when we got to the square. "Uncle Artania!"

Minister Artania was standing with a couple of soldiers, inspecting what was left of the district. "Princess! You're safe!"

"Minister, what's the situation?" I asked, getting right to the point as usual.

He sighed. "Look around. Alexandria has gained complete control. I have heard of at least one resistance group, but I fear there is little they can do." Artania waved a hand. "Brahne's cannons destroyed the Industrial District, and severely damaged the rest of the city."

"Can you take us to Uncle Cid?" Dagger asked.

The minister nodded. "The castle was spared. Come this way."

Lindblum Castle hadn't changed visibly since our last visit, but at the same time it was very different. There was something in the air, something I found all too familiar. It reminded me of my childhood in Seles, before everything was rebuilt.

"This is horrible," Dari whispered.

I glanced at her. "What is it?"  
She shivered. "Rose used to tell me stories of the Dragon Campaign. This is a lot like Kadessa, before it was destroyed. It looks magnificent, but the air feels just wrong."

"I know what you mean." I wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "It took a long time for Seles to recover from the Sandoran attack." I snorted. "Don't worry about Lindblum. Once we've taken care of things, they shouldn't have any trouble rebuilding."

She pressed against me. "I hope you're right."

Cid, to no one's surprise, was still an oglop. Even with his handicap, he managed a relatively cheerful greeting. "Garnet, you're safe."

"Yes, thanks to Zidane," Dagger said softly. "But Freya, Steiner, and Beatrix…they stayed behind."

I laid a hand on her shoulder. "Remember, those three are among the greatest fighters in the world. I highly doubt that they had much trouble."

"The young man is right," Cid said. "I don't think you have anything to worry about. Which reminds me…" He turned to me. "There was no sign of the evil Dragoon you told me about. Would you happen to know why?"

I snorted. "I know exactly why. Derrick attacked us over Pinnacle Rock, and died at my hand. He won't be bothering you anymore."

"That is certainly a relief." He turned back to Dagger. "We have learned the cause of this madness. An arms dealer named Kuja is behind the attacks."

"That's the guy we saw in Burmecia," Zidane said.

"He has been supplying Brahne with powerful magical weapons," Cid continued. "The Black Mages are just a sample of this."

"Hey! We've got a live one!"

Two guards walked in with Vivi sandwiched between them. "Should we kill it?" one asked, shoving Vivi to the floor.

The young mage stood, straightening his hat. "I told you, I'm not with them!" he protested.

"Then why are you dressed like a Black Mage?" the guard countered.

"Let him go," Artania interrupted. "Master Vivi is not with Alexandria. It is just a disguise to deceive the enemy." Not precisely true, but we had no time for lengthy explanations.

"Oh. My apologies, sir." Looking somewhat chagrinned, the pair made a swift retreat.

I shook my head. _We need to put an end to this, and soon._ Derrick was dead, true, but he was little more than a pawn, despite his power. I knew all too well that Kuja would be a far more dangerous adversary._ What does he want? It's clear he isn't from Gaia. There has to be something more._ "Sire, do you know where Kuja is operating from? If we can track him down, we can end this insanity, and possibly save Brahne as well."

Cid shrugged, or tried to; an oglop body wasn't made for such a motion. "We don't know exactly. The first time he was seen, he was coming from the north, which suggests he started from the Outer Continent."

_Outer Continent? Could they be any less original?_ "So that's where we start." I frowned. "My group shouldn't have any trouble getting there, since we can fly, but Zidane, Dagger, and Vivi would pose a problem."

"Can you give us an airship?" Zidane asked.

"I'm afraid not." The regent sighed. "When we surrendered, there were two conditions. The first was that we turn over the new steam-powered airship, the second was that we give them the Falcon Claw."

Zidane frowned. "The airship I can see, but why would they want a pendant?"

"I wish I knew," Cid grumbled.

"What about going by sea?"

Cid grimaced. "The harbor was seized as well."

The thief threw up his arms in despair. "What do you want us to do!? Swim!?"

"There is a way." The regent produced a map. "There is an excavation site in Qu's Marsh. Rumor has it that it leads to a series of caverns known as Fossil Roo, which in turn lead to the Outer Continent. If you can find the entrance, then you should have easy going from there."

"An underwater tunnel. Farfetched, maybe, but we don't have much choice." Zack ran his fingers through his blond hair. "Do you think the Alexandrians know about it?"

"Unlikely. With Beatrix in hiding, they'll be sloppy."

Indora grunted. "No kidding. We got here with no discernable effort."

The meeting broke up at that point. Zidane and Dagger returned to the city to get supplies; Vivi stayed behind due to the hazards. Zack and Laura also remained, talking with Regent Cid. Our resident Giganto took Chris and Seria down to the bottom level, apparently to make sure we could leave when ready.

Dari and I accompanied Zidane and Dagger. I wanted to get a better feel for the situation; Dari tagged along because she was afraid to let me out of her sight, owing to my habit of going one-on-one with homicidal maniacs.

I hid a sigh. _This is going to get worse before it gets better._ While we were more than capable of defeating Alexandria's army in a straight-up battle, that would have done more harm than good here. Sure, they'd lose, but a lot of innocent people would die in the meantime. We'd win, but at the same time, we'd lose.

"This is crazy," Dari muttered.

I glanced at her, trying not to seem worried (I didn't want Zidane to find out about our…relationship, lest he start making his trademark wisecracks). "You okay?"

She shivered, almost imperceptibly. "I will be, but I can't wait to get out of here."

_Yeah, before you go nuts._ Sometime in the past two days, I had acquired what amounted to a very lethal shadow, and I had no desire to see the results if she lost it._ If she goes berserk, it'll be the Black Monster all over again, except without any focus._ "You and me both." I kissed her on the cheek. "We'll make this fast."

"Thanks."

Zidane, of course, saw my little gesture. "Oh, so the Iceman's in love?" He grinned slyly.

I glared. "Don't call me that; it reminds me of Sands. And mind your own business." I added a few choice epithets in Wingly.

Zidane looked puzzled, then glanced at Dari, who of course understood me. "What did he just say?"

The Dark Dragoon winced. "You don't want to know."

We finished our errands without further conversation and returned to the castle. Getting in was trickier than last time; the Alexandrians had apparently decided to…question Regent Cid about local resistance factions. This, in my opinion, was a waste of time; no resistance leader with the I.Q. of a brick would be so stupid as to communicate with the regent directly. The chances of Cid having any useful information regarding such groups were best described as minimal.

Dagger looked more worried than ever as we took the elevator to the ground level. "Zidane…are you sure about this? Can we get to the Outer Continent?"

He raised an eyebrow. "What's this all of a sudden? I thought you wanted to go."

"Well, if something were to happen to you, then I'd…"

"Oh, I get it." Zidane grinned. "You're worried about me."

Dagger blushed slightly. "Well, a princess can't be without her elite guards."

Zidane's grin widened. "Are you flattering me by calling me your elite guard?" He laughed when Dagger put her hands on her hips. "Don't worry. I'll protect both you and Vivi."

I hid a smile. Zidane was clearly head-over-heels for the princess, and if I was not mistaken she reciprocated the sentiment; she simply hadn't realized it. I shrugged mentally; I knew from experience that such things usually took time. I never believed in love at first sight._ Good luck, Zidane._

Vivi was waiting for us at the ground level. "Finally."

"Vivi, where's Uncle Cid?" Dagger asked.

He shrugged. "He just said, 'Gwok gwok, wait here,' and left. I don't know what he's up to."

The answer came soon enough. "Gwok gwok, I did it!" Cid hopped into view. "I jammed the trolley leading to the Serpent's Gate! That'll teach them to mess in my castle."

"You may have bought more trouble for yourself," I said. "The Alexandrians want to…question you about resistance groups in town. This will only add fuel to the fire."

"Gwok, don't worry about it." He hopped again, his mustache looking ridiculously out of place against his insect body. "I'm tougher than I look. You're the ones going into danger." Cid looked from me to Zidane. "Please protect Garnet."

Zidane nodded. "You got it."

I saluted with my blade. "She will be safe, I give you my word." Then, glancing at Zidane, "I'd better give you some lessons along the way. You'll need to learn about Dragoon warfare if you want to succeed here."

------------------------------------

Fortunately, Zidane learned fast. Already a skilled fighter, he was a natural in the air; he even managed to outfly me, much to Dari's amusement. His physical attacks weren't particularly strong, with one notable exception: since his primary weapons were a pair of knives, Zidane would occasionally get in a one-hit kill by stabbing a vital spot.

His armor was like mine in shape, but the color was unusual. Most Dragoon armors are a solid color, with the unarmored portions in black, and a green gem in the center of the breastplate. Zidane's, however, was slightly different: jade green predominated (he was primarily a Wind elemental), the gem in his chest was light blue, and his knives were inlaid with amethyst.

"Whoa!" Chris leapt aside, narrowly avoiding Zidane's Thunderstorm attack. "Careful there, Zidane! You almost zapped me!"

Zidane grinned. "Sorry." His voice held no remorse that I could detect.

Chris turned away, muttering to himself.

Not surprisingly, Qu's Marsh had escaped the war completely. Neither Brahne nor this Kuja had anything to gain by attacking the Qu, so they were pretty much left alone. I was still wary, however; given that Dagger still had the Royal Pendant, I would not have been at all surprised if Brahne had sent bounty hunters after us.

"Another trek through the swamp," Zack muttered.

Zidane started to say something witty, but cut himself off when he saw a familiar face. "Quina! You're safe!"

The Qu smiled. "Long time no see, Zidane. Long journey from Cleyra. Climbing mountains, fighting monsters…"

"Typical," I said under my breath. "Dagger, meet Quina. He helped us out on the way to Burmecia." I looked at the Qu. "Quina, we're looking for an excavation site, supposedly in the swamps nearby. We need to get in there in order to reach the Outer Continent. Can you help us?"

"The Outer Continent…" Quina appeared to consider. "Sounds yummy. I go with you."

"Dragoons, a thief, a princess, a Black Mage, and an amphibian," Zack grumbled. "This is turning into a circus."

"Oh, come on, Zack," Laura said. "I think it's fun."

"You would," was the Royal Smart Aleck's reply.

Ironically, it was Quina's endless appetite for frogs that led us to the excavation site. Quina tore off without any warning, breaking through an old chain in the process. The rest of us followed him down cautiously; one never knows what one will run into underground.

"This isn't so bad," Zack commented.

As if his words had been a signal, a gate opened behind us, revealing a very large and very ugly monster. I thought at first that it was headless, then I saw that it carried its head in what passed for a right hand. Its left hand held a shield, and it moved on wheels.

"You just had to say that, didn't you?" Zidane groaned. "Run!"

There was only one way to run, implying that whoever had originally built this place had wanted intruders herded in a specific direction. We had to cross a hazardous bridge, and by hazardous I'm not just referring to big holes. Huge blades crisscrossed the path; I was almost bisected twice.

Tiring of the chase, Dari transformed. "I've had enough of you! Demon's Gate!"

Seria fell to her knees, gasping for breath. "That was close."

"Too bad."

I spun, drawing my blade in an instant. A young woman came around the corner. Aside from needing lessons on how to dress, her most noticeable features were flame-red hair and a giant axe. She carried the weapon easily; I sensed at once that we were dealing with a professional. _Not a good sign._

The woman smiled thinly at Dagger. "So here you are. Hand over the pendant, Princess."

Dagger backed away. "Did my mother send you?"

"That's right." She leaned on her axe. "The name's Lani. Queen Brahne wants that pretty jewel of yours, and she wants him dead." That last was directed at Vivi.

I finally spoke. "I've heard that bounty hunters are good at assessing risk. I would suggest that you do so, and realize what you're getting yourself into. We are all highly skilled warriors, and you are, shall we say, outnumbered. Back off and I'll let you live."

Lani laughed harshly. "You think you can stop me!?" She slammed her axe to the ground. "Last chance, Princess. Hand it over!"

"I think not." Moving faster than most people could even see, I swept the blade of Burning Dragon in a horizontal arc, neatly slicing the axe in two. "Buzz off."

Lani gaped at her weapon. "This isn't over! I'll let you go for now." She turned and ran the way she'd come.

"Idiot." I sheathed my sword. "Come on, let's go."

Despite the fact that there were monsters seemingly every few feet, we had little trouble navigating Fossil Roo. Most of the difficulty came from crossing large open areas. We finally had to lure giant insects, gargants they were called. Luring them was simple enough: grab a plant, hold it up, and wait for the big bug. Hop on, hold on tight, and you're off.

_This is getting weirder by the minute._ I was barely able to keep from getting dizzy during some of the trickier turns, mostly because we were hanging upside down. Zidane, predictably, was unfazed, since he was used to odd positions. He even waved at me.

I responded with a string of Wingly curses, making Seria wince.

After what seemed like an eternity of gargant riding, digging, monster fighting, even some Moogle mail delivery, we finally made it outside. I blinked; it had been a long time since I'd seen the sun at ground level, so I was no longer used to it.

Indora stretched; he'd been cramped during our underground journey. "Rugged," he remarked, surveying the terrain.

"At least there's no Mist," Dagger said. She looked at Zidane and me. "Where do we go now?"

I shrugged. "North, I guess. Zidane?"

He shrugged in turn. "Sounds good to me."

"It's settled, then." While we didn't know it right then, our journey was about to get a lot more complicated.

------------------------------------

Author's note: Sorry if this one seem a bit awkward; I was running dry on ideas. Sword Master Jeff and Story Weaver 1, I'm glad you liked the "fluff". Also somewhat surprised; I usually find writing love scenes rather awkward.

If anyone's wondering, I didn't duplicate the Divine Dragoon for one simple reason: however powerful it may be, it is just plain HIDEOUS. The Golden Dragoon's bad enough, with its poorly proportioned wings, but the Divine Dragoon is worse, much worse.

I apologize for taking so long, but things have been a little crazy of late. (Stifling heat and power outages are not conducive to good writing.)

Next chapter should introduce Eiko. Thanks for reviewing, and keep it up.


	11. Chapter 10: Summoners and Black Mages

The standard disclaimers apply.

---------------------------------

The first thing I learned while traveling on the Outer Continent was to be very careful around cactuars. Not only were they very difficult to hit, but they had an annoying habit of spraying needles at anyone who got too close. In spite of that, I was somehow not surprised when Quina devoured one.

Zidane laughed as I was needled for the third time. "You're turning into a pincushion there, Jason. You sure you're up to this?"

I shot him a brief glare. "Watch your mouth, Zidane, or you will soon regret it," I said coldly, finishing a pair of the cactus creatures with a Gushing Magma attack. "Remember that I don't need to be in Dragoon form to cast spells."

"I remember." He grinned. "Just be careful. There's a lot more cactuars where they came from."

_Does he _never _shut up?_ "I am well aware of that, Zidane. I don't lecture you about thievery, you don't lecture me about fighting monsters, got that?"

The thief's grin faltered, just slightly. "Okay, okay, whatever you say." He held up his hands.

_Skirt-chasing lunatic._ Despite our occasional disagreements, I had actually come to think of Zidane as a friend. True, he made a pass at just about every girl he met (only once with Dari, though; she made him regret it), but he was also brave, an excellent fighter, and unfailingly loyal. That was more than enough to make up for his…peculiarities.

Zack was having his own problems. He and Laura had admitted to their…relationship the day before, and Zidane still hadn't stopped teasing them. Somehow, the young prince couldn't intimidate our thieving friend the way I could.

To this day I can't help grinning over an incident from our second night there. Zack and Laura were sitting together near the campfire, talking quietly, when Zidane came up behind them. "Talk about star-crossed lovers," he said with a grin, apparently referring to the star-gazing obsession so prevalent in Laura's native Tiberoa.

Zack shot to his feet, turned bright red, tried to speak, failed, and settled for giving Zidane a death glare and waving his spear threateningly.

Predictably, the young thief was unfazed. "Careful where you point that thing, Your Highness. You could hurt someone." He laughed and turned away, leaving the Crown Prince to his incoherent sputterings.

I grinned when Zack turned his glare on me, then went back to my reading. The same book that had provided me with instructions for those special weapons was proving to be quite a fount of information. Some history of the Dragon Campaign, with some footnotes by my grandmother, who had apparently fought in that ancient war, on the human's side (hardly a surprise, that; Winglies tend to live for a very long time).

"Jason, can I ask you something?"

I glanced at the princess. "Sure. What's on your mind?"

"What did you say to Zidane in Lindblum? It sounded nasty."

"That's one way of putting it." I chuckled. "I called him the spawn of a Virage, said that he looked more monkey than human, and followed up with some things that I will not repeat."

"Because it was incredibly obscene." Dari laughed and sat down next to me. "When he starts talking like that, you'd better get out of the way, or you're going to get hurt."

"You exaggerate." I smiled and wrapped an arm around her waist. "What I said was actually fairly mild, compared to what you'll hear from a typical soldier, and it's when I start sounding even colder than usual that you've got to watch out."

She rested her head on my shoulder and closed her eyes. "Maybe." I wasn't sure she believed me, but it didn't matter.

For a long moment I gazed at her, wondering how I'd gotten myself into this. In retrospect, Albert's choosing me to lead the new Dragoons was probably inevitable, but falling in love with a teammate was something else. _I guess it's true that you never know until it happens._

Dari's resemblance to Rose was truly uncanny. Beautiful by virtually any standard, yes, but it went beyond mere physical appearance. There was something at the core, something that simply refused to accept fate; I guess you could call it determination. The fighting style was, of course, to be expected; anyone who trained under Rose would be a formidable opponent indeed.

Dari blinked once and looked up at me. "What are you looking at?"

I managed to keep myself from blushing, at least.

She smiled and kissed me on the lips. "Don't worry. If it's you, I don't mind, as long as you're not too obvious about it."

"That's a relief." I wasn't kidding; getting on the Dark Dragoon's bad side was a quick way to a messy end. _I've been called many things, but even Derrick never accused me of being suicidal._ Sighing, I leaned back and fell asleep almost at once.

----------------------------------------------

The next morning found us near Conde Petie, the village of the dwarves. I'd become familiar with some unusual architecture in my travels, but this one was beyond my experience. The place was built on two gigantic rails that straddled a pair of cliffs. An intricate framework provided additional support, as well as keeping the village from falling between the huge rails.

When people think of dwarves, they tend to think of humanlike beings, usually short and stocky, bearded, with a talent for digging and blacksmith work. These dwarves, however, did not fit that mold. True, they were short ("tall dwarf" being an oxymoron), and yes, stocky, but I saw no evidence of digging beyond some fairly basic gardening work. Blacksmithing, now, that's another story; I saw some very well-made armor and weaponry at the local shop.

Getting in proved tricky. Three dwarves greeted us at the gate. (When transcribing conversations with the locals, I won't be telling what they said verbatim, but rather an approximation of it; their accent makes them difficult to understand.)

One dwarf approached me. "Rally-ho!"

_Say what?_ I blinked in confusion. "Excuse me?"

"Rally-ho!" the dwarf repeated. "That's our sacred greeting."

"If you don't say rally-ho, you can't enter Conde Petie, the village of the dwarves," another said. (At least, that's what I think he said.)

I rolled my eyes. "Rally-ho." The other Dragoons echoed me, though Zack wore the expression of a man who has just bitten something sour and desperately wants to spit it out.

The dwarf seemed oblivious to my disgusted tone. "Rally-ho! Ye can pass!"

_Thanks,_ I though sardonically, brushing past. I'd been in Conde Petie for all of three minutes, and already the dwarves were getting on my nerves. I wasn't the only one, either; I distinctly heard Indora mutter something vile under his breath. That gave me pause, inasmuch as angering a Giganto is one of the stupidest things possible. When the Giganto in question is a Dragoon, the danger is multiplied by at least five.

For the moment, though, Indora had himself under control, so I ignored him, choosing instead to give the locals a closer inspection. If you got past their speech patterns and utterly ridiculous greeting, the dwarves were actually a decent lot. One managed to get in Dari's good graces by praising the craftsmanship of her sword.

"What a crazy place," Zack muttered, grimacing. "All they do is talk, trade, and eat. And why is the northwest path guarded? Are they afraid of invasion from a completely uninhabited part of the continent?" The prince's question was rhetorical, stemming from his increasingly bad mood; he knew as well as anyone that taboos are almost always strange to outsiders.

Before I could point that out, however, I turned a corner and almost collided with a Black Mage. There was no mistaking it for anything else, not after I'd fought so many in Burmecia and Cleyra. The dark blue cloak, the pointed yellow hat, the black face with glowing yellow eyes, all were easily recognizable. At the moment, it wasn't even looking in my direction, being occupied with selling some goods of indeterminate origin.

The grocer laid some coins on the counter. "Rally-ho! Your goods are always welcome here."

Zidane chose that moment to arrive from the direction of the weapon shop. "Hey, what's---whoa!" He'd noticed the Black Mage.

Startled, the mage took one look at us and tore off as if a demon was chasing him. Zidane, Vivi, and I followed, but the mage was out of sight in minutes. One thing was clear immediately: that Black Mage was no automaton. Rather, he was as aware as any of us, proving that Vivi wasn't the only mage who could think for himself.

One of the dwarf greeters spoke up. "Do you know them?"

Zidane jumped. "There's more? Do they live near here?"

The dwarf nodded. "They come around from time to time, usually to trade."

"Where can we find them?" I asked, already weighing possibilities.

"They live in the southeast forest, but it's not easy to get there," the dwarf responded. "You have to go around a cliff first, and I hear they live so deep in the forest that even owls don't find them."

"It's a start, at least," Dagger said.

-------------------------------------------

It was actually more than a start. This particular group of Black Mages seemed a bit unclear on the concept of secrecy. True, they had built their village deep in a forest, but then they had promptly destroyed that advantage by posting a series of signposts along the way. All we had to do was check the signs and go "where there are no owls".

Not that I was complaining, mind, it just seemed rather odd.

As it turned out, the mages weren't as careless as we'd initially thought. We reached the village, certainly, but if it wasn't for the fact that a Black Mage was just arriving, we'd never have gotten inside. The mages had made good use of their magic, specifically by creating a false image of more trees. The guy we were shadowing was kind enough to open a path, though he obviously didn't know it.

"This is like back home," Seria said.

Dagger glanced at her. "What do you mean?"

"The Forest of Winglies has only one entrance," Seria explained. "Unless you know what to look for, and how to get through, it just looks like a dead end in the Evergreen Forest."

"Don't I know it," Dari said feelingly. "I remember the first time you invited me over. Took me three hours to find it."

The first thing I saw on entering the village was a pair of Black Mages. As we had all come to suspect, they were definitely more than mere automatons. They might have looked like Brahne's golems at first glance, but a closer inspection revealed this to be superficial. _It's in their eyes; an intelligent gaze instead of a blank stare._

One of them spotted us and froze briefly, then started backing away. "Hu…humans. Humans, run!" His companion glanced over his shoulder to confirm our presence, then tore off in another direction.

Vivi, for his part, was ecstatic. "There _are_ others like me!" He vanished after the first mage. Quina and Dagger followed.

"Skittish, aren't they?" Zack commented.

"Can you blame them?" I countered. "How would you feel if you suddenly woke up, to find that some maniac has been using you to wreak havoc across a whole _continent_? Face it, Zack, these people have every reason to be wary of us. And don't count on my Wingly blood to make a difference, either. Anyone who looks at me without knowing my background is going to assume that I'm completely human."

"Point," he conceded.

I glanced around, spotting what I was looking for almost at once: a Moogle. He looked up as I approached. "Can I help you, kupo?"

_Kupo?_ I shrugged it off. "We're here looking for information. You know of the recent wars on the Mist Continent?"

"Yes." The Moogle shivered. "Very scary, kupo. Black Mages being used to kill. Lots of them woke up, and when they realized what they were doing, they ran."

I frowned. "But why so far? Even for Gaia, this is pretty out of the way."

"They wanted to find a place that had no humans, kupo." The "kupo" repetition was starting to annoy me. "So they came here and built a village in the woods."

_That makes sense._ "I see." I nodded thoughtfully. "My friends and I are here to put a stop to this insanity. We recently learned that a man named Kuja is behind the wars. If we can take him out, the Mages will be able to live in peace." I shook my head. "Not that I blame them for hiding."

"Don't worry, kupo." The Moogle smiled. "I'll tell the Mages why you're here. Maybe they'll help."

"Thanks." If the Black Mages were willing to help, it would make our job an order of magnitude easier. Not in terms of combat capability, as we were more than a match for anything we had encountered to date, but information. They knew far more about the Outer Continent than we did, which could prove very useful indeed.

The Black Mages quickly realized we meant them no harm, and were eager to help once we explained our mission. It turned out that Cid had been right about Kuja's location; one of the mages had seen a silver dragon coming from an uninhabited part of the continent, northwest of Conde Petie. After spending the night in the village, we thanked them and started off for Conde Petie.

"Enjoy you stay, Vivi?" Chris asked.

The young mage nodded. "Just knowing that there are others like me helps, even if they do have short lives."

"Don't let that get you, Vivi," I said, slashing a griffin in half. "Such a fate is only unavoidable if you let it control you." Another griffin fell to my blade. "We are the third generation of Dragoons," I said, waving at my team. "You might say that defying fate is part of the job."

"He's right," Dari said, then let out a startled sounding curse.

I spun, transforming by reflex, and it was as well I did. Facing us was a monster I had thought had become extinct nearly twenty years earlier: a Virage. Not just any Virage, either, but a Super Virage, with all the enhanced power that implies.

"Dragoons, transform, now!" I risked quick glance at the princess. "Dagger, cast Shell on everyone! When a Super Virage is mortally wounded, it unleashes a massive blast of magic!" Then, to the Jade Dragoon: "Zack, hurry!"

"Shell!"

"Rose Storm!"

"Thunderstorm!" Zidane had never used such a spell in anger before, but it worked.

"Thunder God Attack!"

The S.V. tried to blast Chris after that one, but caught an arrow in what passed for its eye, followed by a strike from Indora's axe that chopped its arm off.

"Thundaga!" I hadn't known Vivi had magic that powerful, but I wasn't about to complain.

"Diamond Dust!"

"Judgment Bolt!" I'd completely forgotten about Dagger's summon power. I wouldn't forget again, not after Ramuh the thunder god delivered such a pounding.

"Mighty Guard!"

"Thanks, Quina!" Muttering a curse under my breath, I readied a spell of my own. "Prepare to burn! _Final Burst!!!_"

That was enough. The Super Virage released the anticipated energy blast, then simply disintegrated. Thanks to Dagger, Zack, and Quina, its deathblow didn't do anywhere near enough damage to seriously harm us._ I_ really_ hope that's the last one._

Dagger took care of our minor wounds with a healing spell. "Have you fought those before?"

I shook my head. "Dart told me about them. The Winglies used them during the Dragon Campaign, to counter humanity's alliance with the Dragons. I thought they all died when the Moon was destroyed, but evidently I was wrong." I carefully stood. "Let's go."

-----------------------------------------

We got to Conde Petie without further incident, only to hit a snag so irritating that I almost wished we could just fight another S.V.. The northwest path was guarded by a pair of dwarves, and there was only one way they would allow anyone through: Couples who had received the blessings of the sun (and isn't _that_ idiotic) were allowed through to the Sanctuary. Newlyweds, in other words.

To my astonishment, Dagger actually suggested that she and Zidane go through the ceremony. Zidane agreed readily enough, after trying several times to make sure she knew what she was getting them into. Even so, the notion of going through what amounted to a sham marriage made me more than a little queasy.

"Now what?" Zack muttered darkly. "Are we supposed to do the same thing?"

"Forget it," I said, unable to keep the disgust out of my voice. "We're Dragoons. Let Zidane and Dagger pull their stunt; we'll fly over."

"Right," Dari said, shuddering.

The "wedding" went off without a hitch, except at the very end when Zidane wound up flat on his face. Occupied as they were with their local nonsense, none of the dwarves noticed seven winged figures hovering over the mountain path. Not that they could have done anything if they had noticed.

_This is even crazier than I thought. Who in their right mind gets married just to get past a pair of dimwitted guards?_ I could only hope Zidane and Dagger knew what they were doing. _If something goes wrong, they're in deep._ I grinned as a sudden thought occurred to me. _If Steiner was here, he'd be screaming bloody murder about now. Either that or he'd drop dead from sheer apoplexy._

Dari nudged me. "Jason, look."

I shifted my attention to the path, which was suddenly no longer guarded. The guards were busy chasing what I assumed was a pair of thieves, a Moogle and a human girl. "What in blazes is going on? That girl can't be older than five or six."

The incident proved helpful, as it happened. With the path unguarded, Vivi and Quina were able to slip past. They soon ran into the girl, who had gotten herself into a rather precarious position; specifically, she was hanging from a branch. _This should be interesting._

"This is getting very weird," Zack said. "Look, Zidane's taking the girl with him. And…is that a horn!?"

The prince was right. The thief, who had taken Quina's place when the Qu departed, presumably in search of food, had a horn on her forehead, top center. "You're right. Why would a human have a horn?"_ Is she human?_

Seria had spotted a more immediate problem. "Uh-oh, company!"

"What is that, some kind of ogre!?" Laura asked.

"Who cares!?" I snapped. "What matters is that our friends are in trouble!" I folded my wings and dove. "Death from above!" My sword cut a deep gash in the creature's arm.

"What the!? Who are you!?" the girl demanded.

"It's all right, Eiko, they're our friends!" Zidane yelled, stabbing twice.

"Oh, okay!" Her next move took even me by surprise. "Terrestrial Rage!"

"Holy fright!" Zack's exclamation suited me just fine. Whereas Ramuh had the form of an old man, the eidolon Fenrir looked more like a wolf than anything else. A crack opened in the ground, and a giant fist gave the monster an uppercut. It crashed headfirst to the ground, killed instantly.

With the danger gone (theoretically) I gave Eiko a closer look. Her short stature and general boisterousness confirmed my estimate of her age. The horn jutted up through locks of blue hair, which I'd never seen on a human before.

She smiled. "Sorry about earlier. I'm Eiko. Eiko Carol."

_Remarkably articulate for a six-year-old._ _Is it because of her summoning power?_ "Jason Connell, and I'm sorry we dropped in on you like that."

"Don't worry about it." Eiko glanced at Vivi. "Hey, my home's the other way."

"Is that the Sanctuary?" Zidane asked.

"Oh, that's just what the dwarves call it." Eiko shrugged. "It's called the Iifa Tree."

_Iifa Tree? Now why does that sound ominous? Is it because it sounds like the infamous Divine Tree from back home?_ I shook myself. _Now is not the time._ "Why don't we talk on the way, then? And," I smiled faintly, "I'll tell you about how my friends and I managed that little maneuver."

She grinned. "Great! Let's go!"

_There's more to her than meets the eye,_ I thought. _I think she'll play a bigger part than any of us can imagine._ Shrugging mentally, I followed the others down the path.

-------------------------------------------

Author's note: Sorry I took so long. I had writer's block, plus I've been busy. Next up is Madain Sari.

YSYF, I know better than to give details, but I will say that for me anything above seventy degrees is stifling.

Lloyd will show up at some point; I haven't decided when as yet.

Thanks for reviewing. Comments and suggestions are welcome. In the unlikely event I receive flames, they will be ignored as beneath my notice.


	12. Chapter 11: No More Mist

Same disclaimer.

---------------------------------

The instant I saw Madain Sari, I knew why Eiko was both stronger and more mature than one would expect a human of her age to be: she had no choice if she wanted to live. While anyone could see that the it was once a thriving city, Madain Sari was little more than a pile of rubble. Aside from Eiko, the only inhabitants were a small group of Moogles.

"This must have been a magnificent place once," I commented.

"You think so?" Eiko sounded pleased.

I nodded. "It reminds me of Vellweb and Kadessa from back home. Now a ruin, but still with an unmistakable sense of power, just as Kadessa was home to the ancient Winglies, and Vellweb to the Dragoons of old."

"Poetic," Indora commented.

I glanced at him briefly. "Comes from spending so much time around Zack's dad. He has something of a gift for language, which Zack has definitely inherited, even if it does desert him once in a while." The prince reddened slightly at my oblique reference to his first meeting with Laura.

Further conversation was halted by the appearance of no fewer than five Moogles. Eiko promptly introduced them, but I was only half listening; a section of the wall had caught my eye. Bending to examine it, I immediately noticed a strange pattern of scorching, too strange to be natural.

_What happened here?_ I'd seen enough ruins in my short life to know that whatever had struck Madain Sari, it definitely wasn't natural. Someone had attacked this place with enough force to almost completely destroy it. Someone wanted Eiko's people wiped out.

"Something wrong with the wall?"

I looked up; it was Dagger. "You mean aside from the fact that it barely reaches my waist? Yeah you could say that. I was interested in the scorching."

She frowned. "Scorching? Couldn't that just be from lightning?"

I shook my head. "Definitely not. Come here, I'll show you." Dagger bent down next to me. "Look at the pattern," I said, tracing the marks with a finger. "Note how regular it is. Whatever did this, it was no lightning strike. Nine or ten years ago, I'd estimate, Madain Sari was hit hard."

Dagger nodded. "I see. Can you tell what caused it?"

"If I had more to work with, I might be able to, but not from this." I shrugged. "Time is the ultimate eraser. One thing we can be sure of, though, is that someone wanted Madain Sari destroyed. The question is, why."

"Maybe it was because of the eidolons," Dagger suggested. "Eiko says she's part of a summoner tribe."

I kicked myself mentally, memories of Cleyra and Lindblum flashing through my mind. _How could I, of all people, have missed that?_ Having seen four different eidolons in action, I could easily imagine why some people would consider them a threat, Odin and Atomos especially. "You're right, that should have occurred to me." I straightened, noticing for the first time that we were alone. "Where's everybody else?"

"Eiko said she was going to make dinner." The princess shrugged. "That's after she peppered Zidane with so many questions that he couldn't get a word in edgewise."

Something in her voice sounded odd when she mentioned Zidane. _Could she be…?_ "Are you jealous?"

Dagger turned bright red. "Jealous!? Me!?"

_Yep._ "Forget it, Dagger." I vaulted over the wall I'd been inspecting. "See you at dinner."

"O-okay." She still sounded rattled.

The rest of the city was in little better shape than the outer wall. About the only parts I saw that were intact were a fountain, Eiko's home, and an enclosed area in the northeast section, that last guarded by one of the Moogles. _Moco, that would be._

I found myself feeling sorry for the young summoner. I'm something of a lone wolf, true, but the thought of growing up almost completely alone, as Eiko had, was a bit much even for me. Eiko was six, but had themind of a much older person. By contrast, I would probably have gone mad by age three if I'd grown up in that kind of environment. Dart and Shana had saved me from that.

"Draw!"

I spun around, yanking out my sword. "Dari! Thanks for the heart attack!"

She grinned. "Sorry about that." Dari didn't sound at all sorry, but I let it pass. "Up for a match?" she asked, her rapier in hand.

I smiled. "Sure. Be a good way to work up an appetite if nothing else."

"Great!" She lunged, aiming a thrust for my chest. I crossblocked, forcing her blade up and to the left. When she tried for a counter, I backed up, out of range.

"Not so fast, O Dark One," I said, chuckling at her enthusiasm. "Remember Cleyra."

"Oh, I remember," Dari countered. She snatched something from a pouch on her belt and lobbed it at me. "Spear Frost!"

I staggered briefly from the water attack. "You want to play rough?" I said with a feral grin. "Fine. Trans Light!"

It was Dari's turn to stagger under the magic assault. Before I could follow up, however, a black sphere began to form around her, the telltale sign of a Dragoon transformation. Knowing that I was guaranteed to lose if I stayed on the ground, I transformed as well._ Here we go._

A streak of blackish-purple came at me head on, the usual first pass. I met her halfway, our blades clashing together and sending sparks flying everywhere. We spun in midair for a split second, then broke apart and stared at each other. I made sure to keep my face expressionless; one thing I have long been notorious for is my propensity for mind games. I learned early on to unnerve my opponents just by staring at them.

Dari, however, appeared immune to my gaze, possibly because she knew me so well. She locked eyes with me for maybe thirty seconds, then shot some kind of black laser beam from the gem on her chest. I took it full in the face, temporarily blinded. When my vision cleared, she'd gotten close enough for a quick stab. The blow glanced off my chest armor, and suddenly I was seeing stars.

"Gotcha! Hee hee!" Seria had somehow snuck up on us and caught me in the back of the head with her hammer.

"You little…!" Laughing, I did a quick one-eighty and aimed a slash at her leg, which she easily dodged. "How on earth did you sneak up on me like that!?"

"Easy. Winglies can teleport, remember?"

"I'm not likely to forget _that_ anytime soon." Teleportation moves had cost me more than one bout with Lloyd. I started to say more, but stopped when I saw a line of violet heading straight for the young Wingly. _Your turn, little sister._

Seria turned at the last moment, but it was far too late. Chris slammed into her at high speed. Unfortunately, that slammed them both into me; I'd misjudged the timing and moved too late. Less than a second later, an arrow whistled past my ear, bouncing off the Giganto who had abruptly made an appearance.

_One left,_ I thought, knowing full well that Zack was bound to show up. He made his entrance like a hurricane, almost impaling me. "Mind if I crash the party?"

"Can I stop you?" I asked mildly.

He grinned. "Guess not. Eat this!" he yelled, and I backed up before the wind spell he sent my way could connect.

I can only imagine what the next hour must have been like to any observer. Any witness who didn't know us would have assumed that we were engaged in a mid-air brawl, and even then they would have to be close up to tell that it wasn't a magic storm. Multicolored streams of light clashed repeatedly, punctuated by bursts of raw power, i.e. Dragoon magic.

At some point in our free-for-all we attracted the attention of at least two Moogles. They stared up at us, but without the terrified awe I'd seen from the people of Cleyra. Not surprising, perhaps, given that Moogles (and especially these Moogles) were more accustomed than most to huge displays of magical power.

-------------------------------------------

I received a pleasant surprise at dinner that night: Eiko, whatever else she may have been, was an excellent cook. Some people might think that good food doesn't mean much to a warrior, but that is far from the truth. Anyone who has been through extended combat soon develops an appreciation for a decent meal. Battle is hungry work, and while I'm no gourmet, I'm not the sort of person who sees eating as nothing more than refueling the body.

Our new friend, with a little help from Quina, had come up with the sort of meal that most warriors prefer, simple yet tasty. The two dishes were more than enough for someone like me: rock-fisted (whatever that means) potato stew and fried fish. (Fortunately, Eiko had nixed the idea of adding an oglop into the mix. I draw the line at eating bugs unless I'm literally at death's door.)

"This is great," Zidane enthused. "You should open up a restaurant."

Indora seconded that. "You and Quina would make an excellent team." The Giganto, predictably, was gorging himself; someone as big as he was takes a lot of fuel to keep running.

Seria mumbled something; I think she said "Great", but I can't be sure, since she was eating almost as much as Indora. (Personally, I've always suspected that Winglies have naturally high metabolisms. I have yet to meet an overweight Wingly.)

"So Eiko, how is it you can summon eidolons?" Dagger asked.

Eiko looked puzzled. "You can, too, can't you?"

"Well, yes…"

"Dagger didn't know there were any other summoner out there," I said. "She almost had a heart attack when you summoned Fenrir on the mountain path."

Eiko nodded and turned back to Dagger. "We use our horns," she said. "Our horns let us communicate with animals." She frowned. "How can you summon without a horn?"

Dagger, apparently nervous, didn't answer.

"Eiko, where are the other summoners?" Zidane asked. "Are they hiding underground or something?"

Eiko looked sad for a moment. "Yeah, something like that. They're all underground, sleeping the eternal sleep. I am the last survivor of my tribe." She sighed. "Ten years ago, which was four years before I was born, Madain Sari was struck by a hurricane. Most of the summoners were killed, but my parents survived. They died just after I was born, and I was raised by my grandfather, until he died last year. Since then, I've been alone. Except for Mog, of course," she added, waving at the ever-present Moogle.

"It wasn't a hurricane," I put in.

"How do you know?" Eiko, Zidane, and Vivi asked simultaneously.

"I examined the remains of the outer wall," I explained. "The pattern of scorching is far too regular to be natural." I shook my head. "Whatever struck here ten years ago, it definitely wasn't natural. Someone wanted your people destroyed."

Zack jerked upright in his chair. "Kuja! I'll bet it was Kuja!"

Laura frowned. "What makes you think so?"

"Think about it." The prince got up and started pacing. "Kuja has been manipulating Queen Brahne of Alexandria. Kuja has been making Black Mages for war." He gave Vivi an apologetic look. "And," here he looked at Dagger, "Kuja wanted Dagger's eidolons. Madain Sari is, or was, the home of a summoner tribe. Summoners, eidolons, get it?"

Chris swore. "I wouldn't be at all surprised if there's some special eidolon in Alexandria." He looked questioningly at Dagger.

She thought for a moment, then shrugged. "I've heard there's some kind of secret in Alexandria Castle, but I don't know any details. Sorry."

"There's something else, too," I said. "Eiko, what is the significance of this Iifa Tree? The Dwarves obviously don't know squat."

Eiko shrugged. "All I know is that an eidolon is sealed there."

"An eidolon," I repeated.

"That's right. If we fail to summon an eidolon, we seal it away," she said. "An eidolon was sealed at the Iifa Tree a long time ago, so no one can get in."

"Is it possible to break the seal?" I asked.

Eiko gave me an odd look. "Yeah…"

"Will you do it?" I pressed.

She almost exploded. "No way! Are you crazy!?"

I sighed._ I'm clearly wasting my time._ "Forget I asked. We'll have to take care of it ourselves."

"There's no way you can get through!"

"Oh, really?" I stood. "Have you managed to forget everything I told you on the way here?" Seven Dragoon Spirits flared at once. "We are the Dragoons! We are the Dragon Knights who have the power to rule Dragons! I highly doubt any magic seal will stop us." Don't get me wrong here. I liked Eiko, but I react badly when someone interferes with a mission.

She jumped back, understandably nervous; seven Dragoons in a confined space can be intimidating, to put it mildly. "S-Sorry!"

I smiled, reverting to human form and signaling my companions to do likewise. "Don't worry about it. All I ask is that you consider this: if we are to stop Kuja, the Iifa Tree may well hold the key."

Eiko hesitated, then nodded. "Okay, I'll do it."

"Thanks." Despite my words, I wasn't at all sure Dragoons could break the seal. We are far from omnipotent, whatever some people may think. "We leave in the morning."

-----------------------------------------------------

The moment I got close to the seal, I sensed something very odd. It wasn't just the sealed eidolon, either; I'd been around Eiko and Dagger long enough to sort that out easily. It was the Iifa Tree itself; it may have been called the Tree of Life, but to me it was more reminiscent of the Death City Mayfil than anything else.

I wasn't the only one who thought so, either. "This is just like Mayfil," Seria said. "I can feel souls in there."

Eiko looked surprised. "How can you do that?"

"Winglies are mildly psychic," I explained. "and while I am mostly human, I nonetheless inherited that power." I waved at the tree. "How do you plan to break the seal, anyway?"

"I'm going to ask the eidolon to come back." She faced the tree. "Boom boom boom. I call upon thee, to rise again, wherever your soul may be!" There was a blinding flash, and Eiko grinned. "There we go."

"Nice," Zidane said. "Was that a spell?"

"Oh, that was just for show," Eiko replied. "The actual spell's much longer, but the eidolon asked me to hurry up. I concentrated my thoughts in my horn."

"Interesting," I commented.

Climbing the Iifa Tree was a less than pleasant experience. Of our adventures on the Outer Continent up to that point, only the encounter with the Super Virage was nastier. Most of the monsters were undead, rendering Dari's magic virtually useless, but that wasn't the worst of it. No, the worst was the fact that the Iifa Tree turned out to be the source of the Mist. I was actually forced to resort to the Dragon Buster at one point, because a zombie dragon almost killed me.

_We've been at this for maybe two hours, and I'm already sick of it._ More and more, I was reminded of Mayfil. I hadn't spent much time there, but the odor of decay was unmistakable. At the same time, though, I sensed life everywhere, too. It was as if the Iifa Tree was at the heart of some sort of cycle of death and rebirth.

That impression was reinforced when we found a way to get _inside_ the tree. Someone had kindly left an elevator at the top. None of us understood why, but only Zidane was able to operate it, which to me at least suggested he was somehow connected to the Mist. _Even if he is, that doesn't make him evil. He's done his best to help._

After taking another elevator (and taking out the undead who followed us) we reached the heart of the Iifa Tree. I for one was relieved; the scent of life was overwhelming, but it was better than the decay I'd felt higher up.

Seria didn't share my relief. "Something's not right here."

"What's wrong?" Vivi asked.

"I don't know. I just sense something. I can't figure out what it is." The Wingly's usual energy seemed to have deserted her.

I frowned. "I feel it, too. Eiko, does Mog sense anything?"

"I'll check." Eiko turned to the Moogle. "Mog?"

Mog seemed to consider. "Kupo? Kupo!"

"Well?" Dari prompted.

"Mog says something's coming---" Eiko broke off as the room started shaking.

"What in blazes!?" I drew my sword and transformed. "What's going on!?"

Before anyone could answer, a huge, tremendously ugly being literally dropped in on us. I'm not sure how well I can describe it. It looked to me like a tree with a gargoyle's head. A dead tree, I should say; there was no way a live tree would look like that. _So, it wasn't Kuja._

_It's telepathic!?_ I realized suddenly that this freak was the reason the Iifa Tree felt like Mayfil. "Where is he?"

_I do not know._

"Are you the one producing the Mist!?" Zidane demanded.

The creature seemed to laugh. _It is not produced. Mist is a byproduct of the refining process. It is expelled through the roots to contaminate other continents. It stimulates the fighting instinct and leads to war and the fall of nations. Kuja merely puts the byproduct to a different use._

"What kind of use?" Vivi asked suspiciously.

_I cannot lie. Kuja uses it to make weapons. Weapons…like yourself. Do you deny your own birth, puppet?_

Eiko bristled at that. "He's really ticking me off. Can I kill him?"

"Yeah! Let's take him out!" Dari said.

"Right! "Maybe it'll draw Kuja here!" That was Zidane.

The freak laughed again. _I have seen the end of my thousand-year existence, and it is not yet. You cannot stop me. It is futile even to try._

"We'll see about that," I snarled. "Final Burst!"

"Rose Storm!"

"Thunderstorm!"

"Firaga!" Apparently, Vivi's high-level magic wasn't limited to thunder attacks.

"Freezing Ring!"

"Thunder God!"

The freak countered with a spray of leaves. While benign-looking, the attack proved to be very dangerous. The end result, however, was to provoke a very nasty retaliatory strike: two eidolons and the White Silver Dragon. Dari and Indora followed with a close-in attack, since their magic was of little use.

Zidane stabbed once and pulled back. "Dagger, it's undead! Try healing magic on it!"

She nodded. "Curaga!"

The thief's hunch was right. With an agonized roar, the creature simply disintegrated. That, unfortunately, was not quite the end: the chamber started to collapse. Getting out wasn't much of a problem, though; Zidane, Laura, and Seria snatched up those who couldn't fly.

The air seemed much clearer outside, and we soon saw why. Since we had defeated the monster that produced it, the Mist was clearing away. Within seconds, the Iifa Tree stood pristine, unclouded by the Mist.

Eiko grinned. "It's so pretty without the Mist. So much for the Mist Continent."

Vivi hung his head. "Did I do the right thing? Kuja used the Mist to create us." He sighed. "Now there'll be no more Black Mages."

"You don't know that," I said, laying a hand on his shoulder. "Who knows, maybe you'll find a way to reproduce on your own."

"Maybe."

"Eiko!" A Moogle, I think it was Moco, rushed in, gasping. "Eiko, come quick!"

"What's wrong?" Eiko listened for a moment, then, "What!? Okay, I'll be there!"

"Thanks! I'll tell the others." Moco departed.

"What's wrong, Eiko?" Zidane asked.

"Someone stole a treasure from the village," she replied. "I have to get back!"

Zidane glanced at Dagger, who nodded. "We'll come too."

"What about Kuja?"

"He can wait." Zidane gripped his knife. "This can't."

"We'll go by air," I said. "That'll be faster." Without waiting for a response, I took to the sky. The others rose behind me, and we headed off for Madain Sari, and, though we didn't know it, another run-in with Lani. _ hope we're in time._

---------------------------------------------

Author's note: I had intended to concentrate just on the first visit to Madain Sari, but then found that the chapter would have been too short, so I added the first trip to the Iifa Tree. Next will come Amarant, and probably the end of the second disc, though I'm not sure as yet. (As an aside, you may have noticed that Final Burst is my favorite Dragoon spell.)

Reiko5, thanks. That will probably be very helpful.

That's all for now. Thanks for reading.


	13. Chapter 12: The Queen is Dead

During our flight, I tried to figure out what might have been in Madain Sari that would interest a thief. The village wasn't exactly brimming with treasure, and it wasn't like the Eidolon Wall could be moved, at least not without a lot of heavy equipment. And even without the difficulties of moving it, the wall was little more than an archaeological curiosity.

Chris appeared to be having similar thoughts. "Hey, Eiko, just what is there in Madain Sari that someone would want to steal, anyway? No offense, but you're pretty off the beaten track."

"It's a pendant, kept by the summoner tribe for generations," Eiko replied. "Grandpa told me to always keep it safe."

"A pendant?" I repeated. "Does it look anything like Dagger's?"

"Yeah."

I swore. "The Royal Pendant of Alexandria, Lindblum's Falcon Claw, Cleyra's Desert Star, and now the treasure of Madain Sari. Wonderful."

"What is it, Jason?" Dari asked.

"I sensed immense power in Dagger's pendant, as well as the stones of Lindblum and Cleyra," I said. "Also, each has a fragment of an engraving, consisting of a few words." I turned to the younger summoner. "Eiko, does your jewel have such an engraving?"

"How'd you guess?" she said, surprised.

"It was simple logic," I said. "The Royal Pendant, Falcon Claw, and Desert Star are all shaped in such a way that they almost certainly fit together as parts of a single jewel. If I'm right, the treasure of Madain Sari is the final piece. If Brahne wants it, as appears likely, then it must have something to do with a very powerful eidolon. That's the only way this makes any sense."

No one had any answer to that, which was just as well. We were about to land at Madain Sari, so there was no more time for conversation. Not that it mattered; Eiko immediately tore off for her room. Zidane took Dagger and Vivi and followed her, while the rest of us scoured the area for our mysterious thief.

_This just gets better and better._ Having seen eidolons in action before, I knew all too well that they would do incredible damage in the wrong hands. If, as I suspected, the jewel Eiko had kept here was the last piece needed to summon the ultimate eidolon, then we needed to recover it, before Brahne (or Kuja, more likely) could get a hold of it.

Seria's head jerked up. "Was that a scream?"

"Where?" I knew from experience that her hearing was better than mine.

"I think it came from the Eidolon Wall."

We raced for the entrance and almost ran over Zidane and friends, who had also heard. Glancing inside, I was somehow not surprised to see Lani, the bounty hunter we had previously encountered in Fossil Roo. She was holding Eiko by the winged ornament on her back. The young summoner was not pleased.

"Let me go, you old bag!" Eiko snapped.

Lani yawned. "Oh, shut up. They'll be here soon." Apparently tiring of Eiko's yells, she forced a dose of sleeping weed on her. "Much better."

Zidane and I chose that moment to step out. "Let her go," I snarled.

Lani gave me a look that plainly said, "You again?" "First give me the pendant. Then I'll let her go." Dagger started forward, but the hunter stopped her. "Not you. The mage."

Vivi obeyed, but Lani's victory was short-lived. A large man literally dropped in on her, sending Eiko flying and almost giving the rest of us heart failure. The guy was dressed in red and blue, with so much hair that I wondered how he could even see, let alone fight.

Dagger gasped. "I've seen him before! He's the one with wanted posters all over Treno!"

Lani, meanwhile, was glaring at the red-haired man. "What are you doing!? We're supposed to be partners on this job!"

He snorted, unimpressed. "I don't deal with hostage-taking scumbags. Give up the jewel and get lost." When Lani started to object, he slid into a fighting stance. "Or…would you rather fight me?" he asked menacingly.

The other hunter opted for the safer course of action, throwing the jewel at him. "I'll collect the bounty on _you_ someday!" she snarled, and disappeared over the wall.

The man turned to Zidane. "Now, fight me!"

Zidane frowned. "What?"

"I'm not here to help. I just want it to be fair."

_A bounty hunter who believes in a fair fight. Interesting._

Zidane considered. "Okay, let's go."

"Zidane…" Dagger said.

He drew his knives. "It's alright. I'm just looking for another way to impress you." I hid a grin at that.

The fight was short and brutal. Zidane's antagonist was significantly larger, and wore a set of claws on his right hand. In contrast, Zidane relied on speed and finesse rather than brute strength. He dodged the first blow with relative ease, then countered with s quick slash.

"Here I go!" This time the redhead's strike connected, sending Zidane into the wall.

Zidane slowly got to his feet, and suddenly started glowing. "Not this time, pal. Solution 9!"

Now it was the hunter's turn to be slammed into the wall; and unlike Zidane, he didn't get up.

"Now give back what you stole," Zidane said.

The bandit complied. "Now, finish me!"

The newest Dragoon seemed puzzled by that. So was I, for that matter. Death before dishonor is all well and good, but wanting to die after losing one fight, regardless of the opponent, is something I will never understand. I prefer to live to fight another day.

"Do you really want to die?" Zidane said at last.

"I attacked you!" the man snapped.

"The fight's over, and we're both still alive, right?" Zidane shrugged. "The sly eagle doesn't kill at whim."

I nodded mentally, impressed._ There's even more to you than I thought, Zidane._

His opponent, however, was definitely _not_ impressed. "Listen to this. I lost to some spineless thief."

Indora spoke up then. "Hardly spineless. My people have a great deal of experience with thieves and such, and I can tell you that Zidane is not like most, nor are his friends from Tantalus."

Not bothering to answer, the red-haired man turned and left.

_Well, that was interesting,_ I thought. _One bounty hunter takes Eiko hostage, then another one shows up and sends her on her way, and then insists on fighting Zidane one-on-one._ Zidane and his opponent had clearly met before, though I suspected that Zidane didn't remember the previous encounter.

I shook my head. Whatever the man was after, it clearly had little if anything to do with Brahne's wishes. My guess was that he took the job just so he could have it out with Zidane. That meant it was personal, rather than some hunt gone sour. I shook my head again. _This is getting nowhere fast._

I sighed. The reason I was dwelling on such a minor incident was simple: I didn't want to think about what would happen if Kuja managed to obtain all four pieces of the jewel. Seeing the way Brahne used eidolons was bad enough; I had no desire to find out what Kuja would do.

"Jason, wait up!" I slowed enough for Dari to catch up with me. "Where are you going?"

"Nowhere in particular. I wasn't paying attention."

"No kidding." She snorted. "You know you almost ran into a wall twice?"

"Did I?"

Dari laughed. "You know, Jason, for such a serious guy, you sure are funny sometimes. Oh well." She gave me a quick kiss. "I love you anyway."

By then it was getting late, so we returned to Eiko's rooms, pretty much the only habitable part of the village. Much to my surprise, Zidane, Dagger, and Eiko were still up, though Dagger was looking somewhat haggard. There was no sign of Vivi or the other Dragoons.

"I have no memory of my early childhood," Dagger was saying as we entered. "I grew up in the castle, but only from age six or so."

Zidane gaped. "Six!? Where were you before then?"

"Until I was six…I must have been here, in Madain Sari."

"That explains a great deal," I said, taking a seat. "Why you can summon eidolons, for instance, and that song you're so fond of."

"But why doesn't she have a horn?" Eiko wanted to know.

I had no answer for that, but Dari did. "I'll bet that when Dagger was adopted, her father had the horn removed," she said, then glanced at me. "Jason, do you think that there might be records here? Something that could help Dagger."

That hadn't occurred to me, and it should have. "There might be at that. Do you mind if I search, Eiko?"

Eiko smiled. "Sure, go ahead. Anything to help Dagger."

"Thanks." I rose. "If you'll excuse me, then, I have some work to do. See you tomorrow."

"Right," Zidane said. "Oh, by the way. Eiko's coming with us. That alright with you?"

I glanced at Dari; she nodded. "Fine with us. Two summoners are better than one," I said with a shrug, and slipped into the night. For the next several hours, I dug through some books that had been left in a lower chamber, just below Eiko's room.

Sneezing from the dust (ten years is a long time to leave this sort of thing unattended), I finally found what I was looking for, a genealogical record. _Let's see_, I thought, carefully turning pages. The family listings were rather extensive; whatever else the summoners were, they apparently believed in tracing ancestry back as far as possible.

My eyes widened at one entry._ No way._

I closed the book. _So, not only is the princess a summoner, but she's related to Eiko. Interesting._ I wondered if Steiner knew that Dagger was adopted. It seemed likely; he'd been a knight for longer than Dagger had been alive. Shrugging, I tabled the matter and went to bed.

----------------------------------

Talk about surprises. Eiko had just finished saying her goodbyes to the Moogles, when who should show up but Zidane's flame-haired opponent from the previous day. My hand immediately went to my sword; there was no telling what he would do. Peripherally, I saw Dari whip out her rapier.

As it turned out, my worries were unfounded. "What do you want?" Zidane asked.

"The victor lives, the loser dies," the man said. "Tell me! Why didn't you kill me!?"

Zidane raised an eyebrow. "Are you that anxious to die?"

"I'd rather die as a warrior than live as a beggar."

"Hmm." Zidane thought for a moment. "Then come with me."

The man was taken aback. "What?"

"You seem pretty good in a fight. Besides, we're hunting a man down. We could use you," Zidane said.

The bandit considered. "Alright. I'll find out what makes you so strong."

"What's your name?"

"Some call me the Flaming Amarant," was the reply.

_This trip is getting weirder by the minute_, I thought. Not that I was against letting Amarant come along, far from it. As Zidane said, he was good in a fight. Nor did I care about Amarant's background; Dart had made his living as a sword-for-hire until about a month prior to the end of the Serdian War.

We started off, but didn't get far at first. One more surprise awaited us.

"Mind if I join you?"

I turned, a grin spreading across my face. "Lloyd! When did you get here?"

"About ten minutes ago." The famous (or infamous, depending on your perspective) Wingly swordsman leapt lightly off a crumbling tower. "I'm sorry I couldn't get here earlier, but I had investigations of my own. Those are now complete."

"Excellent!" I clapped him on the shoulder and turned to Zidane. "Lloyd is easily the best swordsman I have ever seen. He's the only person ever to defeat Dart in single combat."

Zidane's eyes widened. "If he's that good, then nothing can stop us now. Let's go!"

----------------------------------------

I see no reason to describe our trip up the Iifa Tree except in the most general terms. We spotted Kuja almost as soon as we arrived, so we knew where to go. The monsters gave us much less trouble than lest time, thanks to Amarant and (especially) Lloyd.

Once we caught up with Kuja, my comrades and I transformed, managing to startle Amarant in the process (not an easy thing to do)._ This is it._

"Good grief, what a stupid outfit," Zack muttered.

I glanced at him sidelong. "First you're a drama critic, now you're the fashion police? Give it a rest, Zack. And be quiet; Dagger's about to speak."

"You are Kuja, correct?" Dagger asked. "My name is Princess Garnet Til Alexandros. I have something to ask of you." She glare at the effeminate man. "Are you the one who started the war…"

"The war that threw the entire Mist Continent into chaos?" Kuja interrupted with a laugh.

"And created Black Mages to be used as killing machines!?" Vivi snarled.

"Oh, dear. The Princess has such a bloodthirsty puppet." Kuja shook his head. "All I did was give them a recipe. Take the essence of souls, add a touch of black magic, bring to a boil and…"

"Stop!" Vivi shouted.

"But I'm not finished telling you how to make puppets from the dregs of souls."

"Dregs of souls!? Are you talking about the Mist!?" Zidane demanded.

"First you tell me to stop, now you want to ask questions?" Kuja laughed. "It doesn't matter. You're not ready yet." He looked at Dagger. "Your mother wanted the war. All I did was give her a little push."

She turned bright red. "Liar! My mother was sweet and kind! You changed her!"

"Oh, not at all." Kuja laughed again. "She told me that she won't be content until she has everything. Her ugliness and stupidity are truly impressive." Something out to sea caught his eye. "See for yourself. Act One, the end of the ugly desire! It's showtime!"

The entire Alexandrian fleet was approaching rapidly. How Brahne managed to track Kuja down I don't know, but it was plain that they were no longer allies, because the Alexandrians opened fire the instant they were in range.

"So it begins," Lloyd murmured.

"You know what's going on?" I asked.

He shook his head. "All I know for sure is that Kuja is no more a Gaia native than we are. I don't know any more than that---there goes the princess."

I followed his gaze. Dagger was making a mad dash for a statue that, according to Eiko, contained a sealed eidolon. Zidane and the others were following her. "Let them handle it. Dragoons, to the skies!" I was more concerned about what Brahne was up to.

Dragoon powers sharpen one's senses, so I clearly heard Brahne's next words. "Come! Draconic Seedling! Bahamut, King of Dragons!"

_King of Dragons!?_ I stared in disbelief as a beam stabbed skyward. A glowing shape appeared and splashed once in the sea: the eidolon Bahamut. He let out an ear-shattering roar and attacked Kuja and his Silver Dragon. The conflagration was beyond belief; I'd unleashed destruction before, but never on such a scale.

And then, to my shock, Kuja rode his dragon out of the inferno. He touched a hand to his forehead, and it came away bloody. "Blood! Excellent, Bahamut! Power mobility, you truly are the best! You even hurt me…a little." He laughed. "And now, elephant-lady, it ends. I'm sure you'll enjoy the next act, from your soul's hellish prison. The third act will take us away from Gaia, and I will kill my nemesis, with my own hands!"

What came next was even more bizarre. Kuja threw up his arms, and something like a giant eye opened in midair. A cone of blackish-purple energy cascaded down from the sky, enveloping both Bahamut and the Alexandrian fleet. It quickly faded, but the relief was short-lived. The energy had clearly had an effect on Bahamut, because he turned and attacked the fleet, staring with the _Red Rose_. The rest of the fleet soon followed; I doubt there were more than a handful of survivors.

---------------------------------------

We found Brahne, mortally wounded, on the shore.

Dagger knelt beside her. "Mother, I'm here." Tears streamed down her cheeks.

Brahne reached up with a trembling hand. "At last…I am free…of that…terrible greed. I haven't felt this way…since I saw that play…with your father." Her voice was getting weaker. "I led…Alexandria…down the path…of ruin. The people…will be happier…with you…on the throne." The arm fell, and Brahne lay still.

Dagger bowed her head and sobbed.

"The Queen is dead; long live the Queen," Zack murmured sadly.

Laura pressed against him. "Why did it have to end this way?" The Prince wrapped an arm around her.

"It isn't over, Laura," Indora said, fingering his axe. "If I'm right, this is just the beginning."

"I'm with your big friend," Amarant put in. "I've heard stories about the eidolons. Whatever Kuja's after, you can bet it'll be nasty."

"Too true." I sighed, then moved to Dagger and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Come on, Dagger. Let's go home."

---------------------------------------

Seven people stood in the Royal Cemetery: Dagger, Dr. Tot, Adelbert Steiner, General Beatrix, Zack, Dari, and myself.

Dagger, though clearly in agony over her mother's death, was holding up remarkably well, showing an inner strength few suspected she possessed. She was still dressed in the orange-and-white jumpsuit that she wore during her travels.

Dr. Tot, a man with the longest nose I have ever seen on a human, stood holding a wreath of roses, Brahne's favorite flower. Dagger had told me when we arrived that the bespectacled, bearded scholar was her tutor when she was very young. He certainly looked the part, reminding me of Albert in his more thoughtful moods.

Steiner, who for some reason had always reminded me of a heavyset scarecrow, flanked the princess on one side, still in his rusty armor. He and I had for the most part settled our differences, though I knew full well that Zidane was going to be a bone of contention for some time to come.

On Dagger's other side was General Beatrix, the blood-red Dragoon Spirit I'd won when I destroyed Derrick gleaming at her throat. She'd been surprised at first when it chose her, but got over it more quickly than most ( Beatrix is not an easy person to rattle). She'd then asked me to train her in its use. I had agreed without hesitation; not only did someone with her position need to know how to use such powers properly, but I had come to think of the one-eyed general as a friend. Beatrix, not surprisingly, learned fast; the only reason I could take her in the air was my greater experience at such combat._ Enemies of Alexandria, watch out._

The Crown Prince of Serdio stood to my left, dressed in the jade-green royal finery he usually hated. He gave no sign of that attitude now, though; Zack's something of an iconoclast, but he also knows when such antics are a very bad idea.

Dari stood at my right, toying nervously with her rapier. The Dark Dragoon hated funerals; she later told me it reminded her of her grandfather's death two years earlier. I gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. She returned it, smiling gratefully.

For myself, I showed no sign of my own feelings. My crimson armor was concealed beneath a gift from Lloyd: a hooded cloak, black with silver trim. The hilt of Burning Dragon hung within easy reach.

Dagger hung the wreath on her mother's tombstone and sighed. "Steiner, Beatrix. How terrible her life had to end this way."

Steiner and Beatrix both tried to take the blame, but I interrupted. "It was no one's fault but Kuja's," I said gently. "None of you are to blame."

The princess managed a smile. "Thank you, Jason." She turned back to the grave. "Mother…I shall become a great queen!" She turned around and walked to the canal that separated Alexandria Castle from the rest of the city.

"And she will become a great queen," Beatrix murmured. "I have no doubt of that."

--------------------------------------------

Author's note: Again, I apologize for the delay; I was having trouble getting the events in Madain Sari right.

Next chapter will be more of an interlude than anything else, before things go crazy again. (On a side note, has anyone else noticed that Beatrix is a lot like Celes from Final Fantasy 6?)

One more thing: I've been brainstorming on another Legend of Dragoon story, one which has nothing to do with anything else I've written, but might prove interesting nonetheless. I haven't decided whether to go for it now, or finish this first. If anyone has an opinion one way or the other, please let me know.

That's all for now. Thanks for reading.


	14. Chapter 13: Long Live the Queen

I don't own this.

----------------------------------------

Many considered the relative tranquility that followed Brahne's death to be a good sign. Perhaps it was my suspicious nature, but I did not share that feeling. Yes, Dagger had recovered her eidolons (except for Bahamut), and yes, we'd all gotten through more or less intact, but I was still nervous. I kept thinking about Kuja. I didn't know as yet just what he was up to, but I knew it couldn't be good.

For the moment, however, that was an academic concern. Dagger had insisted that my friends and I stay at Alexandria Castle, so we at least had decent accommodations. When I started to say that we didn't want to impose, Steiner, of all people, had insisted that it was only right, since we had been of great help to the princess. Not to mention the fact that there was a prince in our own ranks.

A group of six stood in Dagger's room, the same group who had stood at the grave, minus Zack, who was buried in the castle library (no surprise there).

"Steiner," Dagger said. "I want to see Zidane, and talk to him."

Predictably, the knight had no intention of allowing that. "Princess, you will soon become Queen of Alexandria. There is no room in such a role for a thief."

_Why am I not surprised?_ "Steiner, it is not your place to decide whom she may associate with," I said, unable to hide my irritation.

"It is my duty as a knight---" Steiner began.

"If Garnet is to be more than a mere figurehead, then she must be allowed to make her own decisions," I cut him off, barely keeping from drawing my sword. "That includes deciding who her friends are, you overprotective Virage-spawned idiot." That last came out in Wingly, so I had to translate. Steiner turned bright red.

"That monkey is just a thief---" he tried again, but got no further. Dari slapped him in the face, hard.

"Listen, scarecrow, and listen close," she hissed. "Don't you _ever_ insult my friends. So Zidane's a thief. So what? You know that Jason was raised by a princess, right?" Steiner nodded. "Well, you know what Dart was, up until about six months before he got married? A mercenary, a sword-for-hire."

By then we'd moved out into the hallway, so that Dagger could get changed. Dr. Tot watched us with a sort of horrified fascination. "Surely you're overreacting, Miss Dari," he said.

"Especially since that monkey made a pass at her!" Steiner exploded.

Wrong move; the knight found himself looking at the tip of Raging Demon from a distance of three inches. "You _bastard_," Dari snarled, almost shaking with fury. "Who cares about that!? He paid for it, and promised never to do it again. If you ever bring that up again, I'll kill you."

Steiner, apparently deciding that saying anything else would only make his situation worse, spun on his heel and left, probably to harass his knights.

"That was interesting," I commented as we left the castle. "I don't believe I've ever seen you quite that vicious outside of combat."

"I don't think I ever have been, but he made me so mad…" Dari trailed off, clutching her rapier. "What does Beatrix see in him, anyway?"

I shrugged. "Who knows. Steiner's a decent guy, he's just got a blind spot the size of the Divine Dragon where Zidane is concerned. It's annoying, but I don't see that it will cause any real catastrophe." I kissed her quickly. "Why don't we go for a flight, take your mind off things."

She grinned. "You got it."

-------------------------------------------

Unless you're in the middle of an aerial fight with some lunatic, things actually look quite peaceful from the sky. Nothing but you and the occasional bird for miles around, alone with your thoughts (or, as in this instance, with another flyer), hardly a cloud in the sky, it's almost like a dream.

_This is much better._ It was our first chance to really relax since our arrival on Gaia, and we all needed the break. Indora's usual calm had started acquiring an edge, Seria was losing some of her enthusiasm, Laura was on the verge of collapse, Chris and Zack had gotten into a fistfight the day before, and Dari, well, that bit with Steiner was out of character for her. As for me, though I was used to stress, I was certainly grateful for a chance to just let go ( to the extent that I ever do, anyway).

"What a view," Dari sighed. "I never really got a good look at the city on our first visit."

"Business before pleasure, I guess," I replied, shrugging. "Hard to appreciate the view when you're on a life-or-death mission."

She smiled. "And how many girls get to go on a date a thousand feet up?"

I actually blushed a little at that; thankfully, Dari was the only person who could see it. _My life is getting weirder every day._

------------------------------------------------

We landed at the castle a couple of hours later, feeling much more relaxed, and the first thing we saw was Adelbert Steiner holding Eiko by the winged ornaments on her back. They weren't alone, either; Zidane, Vivi, Freya, and Amarant had arrived at the same time we did.

"Stop screaming or I'll throw you in the dungeon," Steiner was saying as I approached.

_Here we go again._ I sighed. "What is your problem this time, Rusty?"

He looked at me as though I'd just asked him if the sky was blue. "Isn't it obvious? This girl," he tossed Eiko to the ground, "does not belong here."

"Wrong," I said. "For once, however, I don't blame this on your hardheaded personality. You know, I presume, that Dagger was adopted?" Steiner nodded. "I found, quite by accident, information regarding her origins. She is from a now ruined village called Madain Sari, on the Outer Continent. Eiko," I finished, nodded to the young summoner, "is her cousin, almost certainly her only surviving blood relative."

Give Steiner credit, when he knew he was wrong, he did his best to straighten things out. "I see. My apologies, Miss Eiko," he said, bowing politely. "Far be it from me to stop the Princess's cousin from visiting."

"What are you guys doing here, anyway?" Dari asked. "Not that I have any problem, unlike this idiot," she added, glaring at Steiner.

It was Vivi who answered. "We came to see Dagger," he said.

"Good, because she wants to see you, too," I said. "Zidane especially," I added, throwing an icy look at Steiner. "Now, if you'll excuse me." I turned and strolled off, heading for the library. I heard Dari's rapid footsteps as she struggled to catch up, but I didn't slow.

_What is Zack so uptight about? He was up all night. Yeah, he's done that before, but never with this sense of urgency._ Having known Zack for most of my life, I knew all too well that anything that could put him in this kind of mood was either very good or very bad. I hoped it was the former, but I wasn't stupid enough to bet on it.

"Jason, wait!" I slowed just enough for Dari for match my step. "What is it?" she asked.

"I'm going to find out what Zack's so worried about," I said. "The last time I saw him this tense was when Dart took us to visit Mayfil. I want to know what's going on."

Zack was waiting for us in the library, along with the rest of the Dragoons (aside from Zidane and Beatrix, of course). Judging by the look on his face, he'd found some very disturbing information. (Then again, sometimes his definition of disturbing parted company with the definition used by the rest of the human race, so it wasn't necessarily bad news.)

The prince spoke without preamble. "Jason, we've got a problem."

"I figured that out already," I responded dryly, easing myself into a chair. "What's up?"

Zack indicated a huge book on the table in front of him. "I spent most of last night digging through that, trying to find the castle secret that Dagger mentioned. Needless to say, I found it, and it isn't good." He opened the book to a marked page. "The secret of Alexandria Castle is an eidolon, Alexander. He's a Holy elemental, extremely powerful, and the only way to summon him is to combine the Four Jewels. He's even stronger than Bahamut."

Dari sat back, looking skeptical. "How's that a bad thing, Zack? Dagger and Eiko have the Four Jewels, so they could summon Alexander and give Kuja a pasting. Combine that with our Dragoon powers, and we can't lose."

"I'd agree with you, except for one thing," Zack replied. "Remember that Kuja used some weird energy to take control of Bahamut. If he does the same thing to Alexander…"

Chris swore savagely. "Then Gaia is finished."

"I don't accept that." I stood, drawing and flourishing my sword. "We are the Dragoons. I do not for an instant believe that any eidolon, be it Odin, Alexander, or Bahamut, can defeat us."

"And, if I may say it, you have the assistance of a highly skilled Wingly." Lloyd had teleported in while we conferred. "I may not be a Dragoon, but I am still a force to be reckoned with."

"Don't I know it." I sheathed my blade. "If there's nothing else, then I have somewhere to be. Beatrix promised she'd teach me some of her nastier sword techniques, since I taught her to fight as a Dragoon. I'll probably be busy till nightfall."

"Right," Zack said. "We'll be fine."

----------------------------------------------

Some people might think that my idea of relaxation is less than relaxing, but for me it's the best. Generally, there are only four activities that involve staying in one spot that I honestly enjoy: sleeping, reading, eating, and chess. Anything else is almost certain to give me a serious case of cabin fever.

Sparring with the renowned General Beatrix certainly wasn't going to have that effect. My only advantage over her on the ground was my longer reach; she was stronger, more experienced, and significantly faster. Add to that a vast repertoire of truly devastating moves, and you have a recipe for extreme soreness.

I loved every minute.

"Shock!" If the good general hadn't reduced the power on that one, I'd probably have died.

I grinned and struck back, using one of my favorite combos. "Moon Strike!"

"Thunder Slash!"

Laughing, I raised my left hand. "You want thunder!? I'll give you thunder! Spark Net!"

Beatrix staggered, then lowered her weapon. "You're good," she said with a smile. "Better than most of those I've fought."

Chuckling, I leaned on my sword. "Beatrix, most of your opponents haven't had the advantage of studying under some of the greatest swordsmen who ever lived. Dart Feld is a very dangerous man, and Lloyd, well, those who cross him tend not to survive the experience."

"Somehow, that doesn't surprise me."

"It shouldn't." I stared out over the city. "What happened to those clowns, anyway?"

"Zorn and Thorn fled just after the Queen's death," she said. "Their current whereabouts are unknown."

I didn't particularly care; I'd asked primarily out of curiosity. Zorn and Thorn were no real threat, not compared to Kuja, who I strongly suspected had been pulling their strings the whole time. Kuja, who had obtained the power of at least one eidolon, and a nasty one, at that: the Dragon King, Bahamut. If he got Alexander, too, he would be almost unstoppable.

_And he seems to have a connection to Zidane._ "I wouldn't worry about it," I said at last, shrugging. "Zorn and Thorn don't really concern me. Kuja, of course, is a far different matter."

"Indeed." Beatrix sheathed her blade. "Do you think he will attack Alexandria directly?"

"I don't know, but it wouldn't surprise me." I shook my head. "Much about him remains a mystery, but I do know that he's no more a native of Gaia than I am." I sighed. "When he makes his move, he'll do it with a vengeance. You'd better watch yourself."

She nodded. "I agree. You be careful, too."

---------------------------------------

I managed to avoid thinking about imminent threats for almost the rest of the day. Dari and I dropped by a mini-theater started by Zidane's friend Ruby. (The main attraction at said theater happened to be an enormously narcissistic Lindblum native named Lowell. Ugh.) Laura joined Zack in the castle library; she was starting to pick up his bookworm habits. Indora, having somehow acquired a taste for a local card game, spent most of his time near the docks. Chris and Seria just wandered around, running into Dari and me a couple of times.

Zidane and company left for Treno that evening, ostensibly to attend a card tournament there. I was inclined to believe him; he was still moping over Dagger, so he probably needed a distraction. Freya and Vivi went along out of curiosity, Eiko wanted a chance to talk with Dr. Tot, and Amarant…you could never really tell with Amarant, he wasn't exactly a talkative person.

We gathered in the castle just after Zidane left. Dagger had already gone to bed, Steiner was patrolling the castle grounds, and the Tantalus people were scouring the city, why I don't know, so we were left alone for the most part. I was grateful for that; not that I had anything against the Alexandrians, but we needed to discuss our mission in private.

"So here's where we stand," I said. "Dagger will be crowned Queen in three days. Beatrix is a Dragoon now, giving Alexandria a very potent defender. We also have the services of Lloyd," here I nodded at the Wingly, "who has only lost two fights in his entire life. Zidane and his friends have left, so they're out of the picture for now. And then there's the eidolon Zack discovered." I looked at the prince. "Anything more on that, Zack?"

Zack shrugged. "All I can say for sure is that Alexander has been here for approximately five hundred years."

"And the Four Jewels are the secret to summoning him?" Chris pressed.

"Without a doubt," Zack confirmed. "Dagger has two of them, Eiko the other two, so he's not likely to be a factor."

The Rouge Master frowned. "What about that attack on Madain Sari, ten years ago? Was Kuja behind that?"

"Most likely," I said. "I inspected the ruins again just before we returned to Alexandria. I found scarring that I'm certain came from the same sort of energy that Kuja used to enslave Bahamut. He was after eidolons, I'm sure of it."

"But why?" Seria asked. "What use does he have for them?"

Dari spoke up. "When Kuja faced Bahamut at the Iifa Tree, I heard him mention the name 'Garland'. He sounded almost spooked."

"If he's enough to spook Kuja, then we're in real trouble," Indora said sourly. "We have enough problems as it is."

"Too true, my friend," I said. "Too true. However," I gazed sightlessly out a window, "we shouldn't get too far ahead of ourselves. Kuja is our current problem; when we've finished with him, we can deal with this Garland."

The others left at that point, everyone but Dari. "Do you think we'll make it?"

I slipped an arm around her. "We will. We have no choice; the alternative doesn't bear thinking about." I managed a smile. "Remember, we are the Dragoons. Defying fate comes with the territory."

She rested her head on my shoulder. "You're right."

For a long moment we stood together, gazing out at the stars.

----------------------------------------

Author's note: Once again, I apologize for the delay. I was just staring the chapter when my mind just went blank. Very annoying. Anyway, this one might be a little substandard, at least for me, but the next one should be better. I can guarantee it will have more action, since the next major event is the battle in Alexandria.

That's about it. Let me know how I did.


	15. Chapter 14: Alexander

Same disclaimer.

------------------------------

It happened the night before Dagger's scheduled coronation. One moment everything was calm, the next Alexandria was burning, and there were monsters roaming the streets. I knew immediately that Kuja was behind it; the monsters were the same kind that Zidane and company had faced at the Iifa Tree, and the presence of the eidolon Bahamut gave me all the proof I needed.

Even now, more than a year later, I can't help thinking that I, that we, could have done something to stop the disaster, to save all those lives. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work out that way, as I know all too well…

---------------------------------------

"So what do we do now?"

I glanced briefly over my shoulder. "What we do, Chris, is wait and watch. Dagger's coronation is set for noon tomorrow. Kuja will almost certainly strike before then."

"How can you be so sure?" Laura asked.

It was Zack who responded. "Kuja knows Dagger's a summoner, and he almost certainly knows about Alexander. We, on the other hand, know what he's up to, but not where he is." The prince shrugged. "It's his move."

"Zack's right," Dari said. "He'll come for Alexander; we'll just have to stop him then."

"I almost hope he does it soon, just so we can get it over with," Indora muttered. "Patience is usually my strong point, but this waiting is beginning to grate on my nerves."

"I hear that," Seria put in.

Further conversation was cut off by an ear-shattering roar. Dashing for the nearest window, I saw what I had unfortunately expected: Bahamut, the Dragon King. There was no mistaking it, not after the events at the Iifa Tree. _This is not a good sign._

I drew my sword. "Come on, people, let's move!"

Dagger and Beatrix were waiting in the main hall, along with Steiner and his knights. I exchanged a brief nod with the Pluto Knight; we had our differences, but neither of us would dream of having it out in this sort of situation. For the moment, we were in complete agreement.

Beatrix, of course, was clearly ready for action, her sword Save the Queen sheathed at her side. "Your Highness, everyone is here."

I said, "I'll split my team into two groups. Laura, Zack, Dari, and I will accompany Steiner and Beatrix in the city proper, making sure the people are safe. Meanwhile, Lloyd will take Chris, Indora, and Seria and give Bahamut something to worry about."

Dagger nodded, visibly relieved. "Thank you."

------------------------------------------

Alexandria was in flames. Bahamut had scored at least five direct hits on the city, burning a good-sized area to the ground. The bar was badly damaged, the synthesist's place was completely gone, and a nearby chapel was missing its bell.

I had only a brief glimpse of this, however. We soon found ourselves swept up in a sea of monsters. I dodged to one side, chopped one in half, and then shrugged off a fire spell another sent my way. Transforming, I destroyed two more with an Explosion spell.

"Spinning Cane!" For a wonder, the Prince actually seemed to be enjoying himself. "Hey, Jason, you wanna bet Kuja's behind this?"

"Who else would it be?" I returned. "Bahamut's all the proof I need." Another foul beast fell to my sword.

"Watch out!" Steiner impaled a monster that had somehow snuck up on me. "The question is, what do we do about it?"

"Whatever we can."

The next two hours were a blur. Most of that time was spent hacking away at Kuja's vermin. We were holding our own, but they had the advantage of numbers; for every one we killed, two more would appear in its place. At least twice I was nearly killed, only to be bailed out by Dari and Beatrix.

My friends' confrontation with Bahamut was a stalemate. They kept him from any further attacks on the city, but that was all they could do. I was swiftly coming to the conclusion that, while Bahamut was unlikely to take us, there was only one Dragoon with a realistic chance of actually defeating him: Dart, Dragoon of the Divine Dragon.

_Is there no end to this insanity?_ I snarled a curse and bisected yet another mist monster. _Can this get any worse?_

"Nice show, eh, Iceman?"

I slowly turned, my face twisted in disbelief. "What the… how did you get here!?"

Steiner saw him, too. "Who is that!?"

"Ben Sands, Derrick's younger brother," I said tightly.

"That's right," the other said. It was easy to tell he was related to Derrick; he looked very much like a younger version of the onetime Dragoon I had so recently killed. "And I got here the same way you did."

The chaos surrounding us suddenly seemed distant, as if it no longer mattered. "What do you want?" I demanded in my coldest voice.

Sands drew his sword. "I'm here to avenge my brother. That's all I care about now." He waved an encompassing arm. "Well, that and having some fun with these subhumans." He nodded at a fleeing Alexandrian, who looked to me like a humanoid anteater.

"You smarmy, apple-polishing little bastard," I growled. "So you're a racist, on top of everything else?" I glanced at my teammates. "You guys keep going. I'll deal with this idiot."

Dari looked like she wanted to protest, but stopped herself. "Be careful."

Steiner and Beatrix raised their blades in salute, but only the Pluto Knight spoke. "Good luck, Sir Jason."

_"Sir Jason"? Where'd that come from?_ Shrugging mentally, I turned back to Sands. "Just you and me now, Ben. Let's see what you've got."

"Gladly." He lunged, aiming a thrust at my chest. I parried with ridiculous ease and countered with a slash to the face. He blocked, then fell back a step, trying to catch his breath. "You…can't beat me…that easily." Sands lunged again, feinted to his left, then jumped back, raising a hand. "Water!"

I found myself having flashbacks to the battle with Master Gizamaluke. My one worry about the structure of magic on Gaia was the separation of water and ice spells. That gave me two different elements to worry about, and Derrick's little brother had apparently been taking lessons.

"Nice move, Ben," I commented sardonically, pushing myself to my feet. "I take it Kuja taught you that move?"

He flashed a shark's grin. "That's right! He said that if I helped him, he'd give me the power to avenge Derrick's death!"

"Then he lied to you," I said coldly, "for there is far more to me than you realize." For the first time since my arrival on Gaia, I sprouted wings of light. "In my veins courses the blood of the ancient Winglies! Dark Mist!"

The darkness attack sent him flying across the street and into a wall. He slumped to the ground gasping for breath. "Do you have anything else to say, vermin?"

Sands glared at me. "You…murdering…_bastard!_ This isn't over!" He fled, staggering slightly but otherwise in control."

"Jason, forget about him!" Zack's voice called. "Look!"

I joined him in the skies, slightly out of breath from my duel. My eyes widened as I followed his gaze. Eiko must have somehow met up with Dagger, for there above Alexandria Castle stood the Holy Eidolon, Alexander, his enormous wings folded protectively over the castle. Easily half again as large as the building, he looked almost like a magic fortress.

"What is that?" Chris breathed.

"It's the Holy Judgment," Zack replied in an awed voice. "The summoner is being called. Alexander's judgment has come."

What was meant by holy judgment became clear almost at once. Beams of pure light erupted from Alexander's wings, spearing Bahamut, whose rampage had come to an abrupt halt. Mere seconds later, the mighty Dragon King had vanished without a trace.

Even Beatrix was visibly shocked. "I had no idea…that those jewels contained such power." She twitched her wings, still a bit uneasy in Dragoon form. "So the castle's secret…is an eidolon."

"The most powerful eidolon in existence, so far as is known," Zack confirmed, quickly regaining his usual aplomb. "As you saw, he even transcends Bahamut, and…holy fright!"

His outburst was prompted by an unpleasantly familiar sight. The air above Alexandria castle seemed to open, revealing the same eye-like image we had seen at the Iifa Tree. This time, however, much more of it was visible, despite the darkness. Even from a distance, I could tell that it was artificial, rather than some supernatural force.

Indora got it first. "Dear Soa, that's an airship!"

Steiner, clinging to the big Giganto to keep from falling, agreed. "I saw some vaguely similar designs when we visited Lindblum," he said.

Dari swore. "If Kuja gets Alexander the way he did Bahamut…" She trailed off, unwilling to finish that deadly thought.

It appeared, however, that her worries were groundless. The airship just sat there, making no move one way or the other. It almost seemed paralyzed, as if something had taken over from the inside._ Kuja just made someone very angry, I bet._ I was right, but I didn't find out until much later.

"What's it waiting for?" Laura asked, sounding more than a little confused.

She got her answer just seconds later. Instead of the dark cone, the airship surrounded Alexander with a brilliant spiral of light. Immediately, the eidolon began to wilt, as if its life force was being sucked out. The feathered wings quickly disintegrated, leaving Alexandria Castle defenseless.

Seria moaned. "Oh, no. Dagger…Eiko."

Another blast struck, and the castle started to collapse. I felt a stab of fear for my summoner friends, but it was short-lived. Eiko swung away from the rubble on what I think was a leftover decoration from Tantalus's last play, and then Zidane swooped in from above, his tricolor armor gleaming in the moonlight. He snatched Dagger at the last instant and took to the sky again.

The Princess hugged her rescuer and whispered something in his ear. The young thief grinned in response.

_Looks like I was right._ I looked at Steiner. "Still have a problem with Zidane?" I asked, grinning.

He shook his head. "I do not know if he is the right man for the Princess, but I see no reason to separate them." He exchanged a glance with Beatrix. "It is at least clear that he does not with to harm her."

I started to say "Good," but stopped in mid word. The airship was powering up its weapon again, and this time it clearly meant business. The next attack created a huge fireball, engulfing the center of the city. It was worse than when Brahne had struck Lindblum; at least she had wanted it more or less (mostly less) intact. Whoever was in control of that airship just wanted destruction.

Zack clutched Kamikaze so tightly thought the shaft would snap. "Whoever is responsible for this will die. I swear it on my honor as a Dragoon and as Crown Prince of Serdio."

The two Alexandrians just stared in horror at the conflagration. I didn't blame them; they had just seen their home, which they had sworn to defend, virtually annihilated in a matter of seconds. The destruction, what I could see of it, was beyond belief. Looking off to my right, I saw Dagger clinging to Zidane for dear life, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Zidane caught my eye, and I saw my own thought reflected in his gaze. _The one who did this is doomed._

I sighed and turned south. "Snap out of it, people. There will be time to grieve later; right now we have to stop Kuja and whoever was in that airship. We'll regroup in Lindblum."

_And then end this once and for all._

--------------------------------------

Author's note: A little short, I know, but there really isn't much to that area.

That bit about Derrick's brother wanting to avenge his demise is something I'd planned on for a while, I simply hadn't found a good place for it yet. It makes sense; a gang leader wouldn't exactly be a lone wolf. I don't want to give too much away, but I will say this: Ben Sands will meet his end in Mount Gulug.

That's all for now. Tell me what you think.


	16. Chapter 15: Depths

The aftermath of the mysterious airship's attack on Alexandria was tough on everyone. Steiner and Beatrix were wracked by guilt over their failure to protect their homeland (though Zack and I insisted -vehemently- that it wasn't a failure, that they weren't at fault for not stopping something with that kind of power). Dagger had gone mute from grief, causing Zidane to worry himself sick. Eiko was staying close to a thoroughly shocked Vivi, while Freya, expression unreadable, kept watch. Amarant, for his part, was worried about the display of power; he couldn't care less about the others. (Or so he said. For myself, I had my suspicions, which were later born out.)

As for us, we Dragoons took it better (though that wasn't saying much) primarily because we were from another world entirely; it's easier to watch a city's destruction if it isn't _your_ city. Even so, it was hard. I stayed close to Dari, who was even paler than usual. Zack and Laura spent most of their time in the library, the latter speaking very little. Chris and Indora sparred for hours on end; Seria seemed to have lost her perpetual cheerfulness.

Two days after Alexandria's destruction, Regent Cid called us all in for a meeting…

"This is becoming stranger every day, ribbit ."

Cid, with the aid of Zidane and Dr. Tot, had attempted to regain his human form. The method Tot suggested was rather hairbrained, at least for someone like him: mix three potions together and have Cid drink them. Oh, it worked, but not as intended; instead of going from oglop to human, Cid went from oglop to frog.

_Note to self,_ I thought, unable despite the circumstances to suppress a grin, _keep him away from Quina_. Aloud, I said, "What do you mean by that?"

"Kuja had somehow obtained the airship that Hilda ran off in," Cid replied. "On top of that, there were black mages with him, and they were definitely conscious."

Vivi instantly erupted. "No! Why would they go with Kuja?"

"Why don't you ask them?" Indora muttered sarcastically.

Zack tossed his green cape over his shoulder. "I think that the black mages are a minor issue," he said. "Not that I don't feel for you, Vivi," he added, "but our primary concern is Kuja."

Steiner, not surprisingly, agreed. "The prince is right. If we are able to defeat Kuja, then everything else should fall into place."

Amarant snorted derisively. "It's easier said than done. Kuja's powers are far beyond ours." He looked pointedly at our resident thief. "How are we supposed to take him on?"

_His powers aren't that far beyond us, Amarant,_ I thought. _If they are at all, which I am not at all convinced of._ Dari shared that sentiment, judging by how she glared at the flame-haired bandit. Beatrix, from her expression, also agreed; she had felt the power of the Dragoon, even if she was still new to it.

Predictably, Zidane glared at Amarant. "We're stronger than you think, Amarant," he said. "Dragoons can take anything Gaia can throw at us."

"Zidane's right," Beatrix said. "I've felt the power of the Dragon, and I can tell you that it far surpasses even most eidolons."

I spoke before Amarant could explode. "That is at this point irrelevant," I said. "Kuja has no eidolons, at least none that we know of, so how about we concentrate on finding him." I looked at Cid. "If he has black mages with him, then we should probably head for Black Mage Village on the Outer Continent."

"I agree, ribbit . We can take the _Blue Narciss_." He frowned. "That reminds me. Who was that young hooligan Steiner mentioned?"

I snorted. "Ben Sands, the younger brother of the late unlamented Derrick." I waved a hand dismissively. "I'll deal with him when the time comes." Little did I know that dealing with him would be very difficult indeed.

Our group boarded the _Blue Narciss_ at Lindblum's Serpent's Gate. We had a couple of additions for the trip: Cid, since we were going in part to find his wife, and thus return him to human form; and Zidane's friend Blank, who took the helm at Baku's insistence.

I stood near a rail, one arm around Dari's shoulders. Despite the urgency of our mission, the sea had a calming effect, making it easier to think. _Will we find a clue at Black Mage Village? Or will it prove o be a dead end?_

Dari rested her head against my shoulder. "You know, from here you'd never know we're on a mission to save an entire world. It's almost like there's nothing wrong."

I snorted gently. "Except for the fact that we have a talking frog on board, yeah."

She managed a chuckle. "There is that."

We were both silent for a while. "I think this is the first time I've traveled on anything that can legitimately be called a ship."

Dari looked up at me in surprise. "What about the _Queen Fury_?"

I rolled my eyes. "The _Queen Fury_ is the ugliest pile of junk I have ever seen. Whoever designed that thing has no sense of aesthetics."

She shrugged. "I've never seen it, so I wouldn't know."

The other Dragoons joined us a few minutes later, along with -inevitably- Steiner and Dagger. I wasn't sure what to make of the knight's mood, but at least whatever anger he might feel was directed at someone other than Zidane and me for once.

Dagger, predictably, stuck to Zidane like a shadow. I had to conceal a smile at that; she might not have admitted it, but it was obvious, at least to me, that she was head-over-heels for the thief-cum-Dragoon. Her reaction to his appearance at Alexandria Castle was clearly more than simple gratitude for being rescued, although that was certainly part of it.

I looked at Steiner and Beatrix. "Okay, before we discuss anything else, I have one question: where did this 'Sir Jason" thing come from?"

Steiner looked confused. "Prince Zachary told me about it. I would have thought you'd know."

I shot a glare at the prince, who just gave me an innocent look. "It was Dad's idea. Since you're a Dragoon -Dragon Knight- and you're loyal to Serdio, he figured you should have the title that goes with it."

"Oh really?" I didn't for an instant believe that that was all there was to it. "And you had nothing to do with it?"

Zack feigned thoughtfulness. "Well…maybe a little," he conceded.

"Ugh." I shook my head. "Beware of prince with low sense of humor." I sighed. "Anyway, I presume there is something you guys want to discuss?"

"We still don't know what Kuja is after," Beatrix said. "He has used Queen Brahne as a pawn, and brought ruin to an entire continent."

Zack frowned, all traces of mischief gone from his face. "I remember my father telling me stories of the Serdian civil war." He met the general's gaze. "Lloyd is our ally now, but back during the Second Dragon Campaign he was working for -he thought- Emperor Diaz, a hero from the time of the Wingly empire."

"He was manipulating the war for his own ends," I said. "Though he thought he was doing what was right."

"For his own ends?" Steiner repeated. "What do you mean?"

I turned my gaze out to sea. "Long ago, the ancient Winglies sealed up an evil known as the Virage Embryo, the so-called God of Destruction, by separating its flesh and soul. The flesh was placed in the sky, as the Moon That Never Sets. The soul was sealed in a crystal sphere, so that the evil dictator Melbu Frahma could draw almost infinite magical power from it."

"His sister, Charle, wanted him to stop, so she created five signets to keep the sphere sealed," Dari said, taking up the story. "They were in the royal capital Kadessa, the Birth City Crystal Palace (now Deningrad, the capital of Mille Seseau, and my hometown), the Magical City Aglis, the Law City Zenebatos, and the Death City Mayfil."

I nodded. "Melbu found out, however, and created three Divine Moon Objects to break the signets if he wanted to. At the end of the Dragon Campaign, they were sent to the three new nations as proof of the peace. The Moon Gem went to Serdio, the Moon Dagger to Tiberoa, and the Moon Mirror to Mille Seseau."

"The Moon Gem was sealed inside the body of each crown heir," Zack said. "Lloyd manipulated the war so that he could get to it. He thought he was going to rejuvenate the world, not destroy it."

Laura spoke next. "In Tiberoa, the Moon Dagger was passed to the heir to the throne at age twenty as part of the Coming of Age ceremony. Lloyd had an accomplice, a Wingly named Lenus, impersonate Zack's mother Emille in order to steal it. Dart and his friends killed her a few days later, but they were unable to retrieve the Moon Dagger."

"The Moon Mirror was kept in the ancient Wingly fortress of Flanvel Tower," Dari said. "The tower was once the domain of Melbu's right-hand man, Magician Faust (though Dart and company killed him, too). Since the ruling monarch was the only person who could open the tower, Lloyd kidnapped Queen Theresa and forced her to help him."

"What this rather convoluted story boils down to," I said, "is that Kuja is probably in a similar situation, except that I highly doubt he is unaware of what will happen."

"So you're saying Kuja started a war to get something else?" Zidane asked.

I nodded. "Exactly. And I would be willing to bet it has something to do with eidolons."

Steiner winced and looked to the front of the boat, where Eiko was talking with Vivi. "Then Miss Eiko is also in danger."

I grimaced. "You're right. I hadn't thought of that, and I should have." _Blast it._

Beatrix raised an eyebrow. "Speaking of Lloyd, where is he?"

Zack shrugged. "He said he had to return to Endiness for something-or-other. You can never really tell with that guy."

Black Mage Village was the same as I remembered it, with one exception: it was almost completely deserted. As far as we could tell, there were three mages in the area, one at the graveyard and two more in the locked chocobo shack.

_The shack is locked, and the guy in the graveyard won't say where the others went, so how in blazes are we supposed to find that maniac?_ I knew that whatever Kuja had said to persuade the Black Mages to join him, it had to have been a lie. The mage in the graveyard apparently thought the same thing, or else he wouldn't have stayed.

I turned at the sound of heavy footsteps. "Indora. Any luck?"

The Giganto shook his head. "The mages didn't leave any real clues, and the other guy still won't tell us anything useful. He says he can't betray them."

"Figures. Guess I can't blame him for being loyal-" I broke off, feeling my eyes narrow.

"What's wrong, Jason?" Dari asked, coming up behind me.

I didn't answer right away. "I sense something odd," I said at last. "Something just doesn't feel right."

"Human scum!"

We spun at the voice. Hovering about ten feet away was a platinum-haired man of indeterminate age. Definitely a Wingly; the hair, plus the glowing wings on his back, made that brutally clear. What puzzled us was the attitude; Winglies had for the most part lost the towering sense of superiority they once had in dealing with other races.

"Who's that guy?" Zidane's voice asked.

It hit me then. "His name's Bardel," I said. "Dart told me about the Bardel brothers. Their younger sister was killed by a human a long time ago. Dart faced the elder in the Forest of Winglies. The guy tried to hit him with a fireball, but he transformed and deflected it. Lloyd killed the younger just after the Divine Dragon was destroyed." I drew my sword. "And since the elder changed his mind about humans, we seem to be dealing with an undead."

"I've come back from the infernal world to take revenge for my sister!" Bardel snarled.

"Hey, I'm a Wingly, and we had nothing to do with it!" Seria protested.

"And I have Wingly blood myself," I added.

Bardel looked merely scornful at Seria's statement, but his expression turned to horror when I spoke. "How dare you! Diluting the sublime soul of the Wingly!"

I shook my head. _This guy has completely lost it._ "You utter imbecile. Human, Wingly, Mininto, Giganto, what does it matter? We're all people." My gaze sharpened. "And all of Endiness owes its very existence to Dragoons, those you call the destroyers of old. Without them, our world would have been destroyed long ago."

Bardel ignored this, choosing instead to launch a fireball at me. I responded by transforming, just as Dart had in the Forest. The attack was harmlessly deflected. Grinning at his astounded look, I flapped for altitude, then dove with my sword outstretched.

Bardel dodged, laughing scornfully. "You think it will be that easy? Think again!" He traced a strange pattern in the air, one that I nonetheless recognized. "Frozen Jet!"

"Ugh!" I had unfortunately forgotten what it was like to be hammered with a water spell. "You'll pay for that," I growled. "Final Burst!"

"Freezing Ring!" Seria shouted. "Take that!"

"Thunderstorm!"

"Meteor Strike!"

The undead Wingly reeled under the barrage of magic. "I'm not finished yet!" Bardel concentrated, and our surroundings abruptly darkened. Then the stars came out, and I finally realized just what he was doing: Universe magic, one of Melbu Frahma's favorite tricks.

Except he didn't have a chance to finish. Beatrix came at him from above, Save the Queen held at the ready. "Not so fast! Shock!"

There was a flash of blinding light, and Bardel was gone.

I reverted to human form, gasping for breath. "Thanks, Beatrix. That was a little too close."

"No problem." She landed and sheathed her sword. "Shock doesn't normally have quite that effect," she said, looking appraisingly at the spot where Bardel had stood. "I suppose the Dragoon Spirit enhances my Seiken techniques."

"Wouldn't surprise me," Dari said.

Zack came running up. "Guys, we finally have a lead. That mage says Kuja has a palace in a desert to the east." He grimaced. "Won't be fun, but we can make it."

"I hope so," I said grimly."

Author's Note: I deeply apologize for the long delay; I haven't had much chance to work on this of late. This one probably isn't as good as earlier chapters, but I guess it will serve. The fight with Bardel was added mainly to spice up an otherwise dull area.

Next up, Kuja's Desert Palace and Oeilvert. (Does anyone know how to pronounce that, by the way? I sure don't.)

Please don't mind the lack of section dividers; the stupid edit function keeps deleting every type I try.


End file.
